Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Molecular insight into carboxylic acid-alkali metal cations interactions : Reversed affinities and ion-pair formation revealed by non-linear optics and simulations

Sthoer, Adrien ; Hladílková, Jana LU ; Lund, Mikael LU orcid and Tyrode, Eric (2019) In Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 21(21). p.11329-11344
Abstract

Specific interactions between the carboxylic acid moiety and the monovalent salts CsCl, NaCl, and LiCl, have been investigated in Langmuir monolayers using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) and complemented with coarse grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. By exploiting VSFS's intrinsic surface specificity, an emphasis was made on targeting headgroup vibrations of both its charged and uncharged forms as well as water molecules in the interfacial layer. The degree of deprotonation of the monolayer as a function of cation concentration and pH was experimentally determined and theoretically rationalized. Starting from 100 mM, the surface charge was overestimated by the Gouy-Chapman model and varied depending on... (More)

Specific interactions between the carboxylic acid moiety and the monovalent salts CsCl, NaCl, and LiCl, have been investigated in Langmuir monolayers using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) and complemented with coarse grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. By exploiting VSFS's intrinsic surface specificity, an emphasis was made on targeting headgroup vibrations of both its charged and uncharged forms as well as water molecules in the interfacial layer. The degree of deprotonation of the monolayer as a function of cation concentration and pH was experimentally determined and theoretically rationalized. Starting from 100 mM, the surface charge was overestimated by the Gouy-Chapman model and varied depending on the identity of the cation, highlighting the appearance of ion specific effects. Agreement could be found using a modified Poisson-Boltzmann model that takes into account steric effects, with a fitted effective ion-size compatible with the hydrated ion diameters. The relative affinity of the cations to the carboxylic acid moiety was pH dependent: at pH 4.5 they arranged in the order Cs+ > Na+ > Li+, but fully reversed (Li+ > Na+ > Cs+) at pH 9. Simulations yielded microscopic insight into the origin of this behavior, with the cations showing contrasting interaction preferences for either the uncharged carboxylic acid or the charged carboxylate. Sum frequency spectra also provided evidence that all cations remained hydrated when interacting with the charged headgroup, forming solvent-separated or solvent-shared ion pairs. However, for the specific case of 1 M Li+ at pH 9, contact ion pairs were formed. Finally, the remarkable effect of trace metal multivalent cations in the interpretation of experiments is briefly discussed. The results provide exciting new insights into the complex interactions of alkali metal cations with the biophysically relevant carboxylic acid moiety.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
volume
21
issue
21
pages
16 pages
publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
external identifiers
  • scopus:85066604532
  • pmid:31107479
ISSN
1463-9076
DOI
10.1039/c9cp00398c
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
49b4828c-cea7-4387-a277-65b84aefbea9
date added to LUP
2019-06-24 11:09:59
date last changed
2024-04-16 12:38:25
@article{49b4828c-cea7-4387-a277-65b84aefbea9,
  abstract     = {{<p>Specific interactions between the carboxylic acid moiety and the monovalent salts CsCl, NaCl, and LiCl, have been investigated in Langmuir monolayers using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) and complemented with coarse grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. By exploiting VSFS's intrinsic surface specificity, an emphasis was made on targeting headgroup vibrations of both its charged and uncharged forms as well as water molecules in the interfacial layer. The degree of deprotonation of the monolayer as a function of cation concentration and pH was experimentally determined and theoretically rationalized. Starting from 100 mM, the surface charge was overestimated by the Gouy-Chapman model and varied depending on the identity of the cation, highlighting the appearance of ion specific effects. Agreement could be found using a modified Poisson-Boltzmann model that takes into account steric effects, with a fitted effective ion-size compatible with the hydrated ion diameters. The relative affinity of the cations to the carboxylic acid moiety was pH dependent: at pH 4.5 they arranged in the order Cs<sup>+</sup> &gt; Na<sup>+</sup> &gt; Li<sup>+</sup>, but fully reversed (Li<sup>+</sup> &gt; Na<sup>+</sup> &gt; Cs<sup>+</sup>) at pH 9. Simulations yielded microscopic insight into the origin of this behavior, with the cations showing contrasting interaction preferences for either the uncharged carboxylic acid or the charged carboxylate. Sum frequency spectra also provided evidence that all cations remained hydrated when interacting with the charged headgroup, forming solvent-separated or solvent-shared ion pairs. However, for the specific case of 1 M Li<sup>+</sup> at pH 9, contact ion pairs were formed. Finally, the remarkable effect of trace metal multivalent cations in the interpretation of experiments is briefly discussed. The results provide exciting new insights into the complex interactions of alkali metal cations with the biophysically relevant carboxylic acid moiety.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sthoer, Adrien and Hladílková, Jana and Lund, Mikael and Tyrode, Eric}},
  issn         = {{1463-9076}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{21}},
  pages        = {{11329--11344}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
  series       = {{Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics}},
  title        = {{Molecular insight into carboxylic acid-alkali metal cations interactions : Reversed affinities and ion-pair formation revealed by non-linear optics and simulations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c9cp00398c}},
  doi          = {{10.1039/c9cp00398c}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}