Hydrogen Tunneling in Carboxylic and Amino Acids

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Peter R. Schreiner, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2011 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 202685893

The proposed research intends to unearth the important role of hydrogen tunneling in the dynamics of organic compounds of biological significance, namely, the α-keto carboxylic (1) and α-amino acid (2) paradigms. For this purpose, an international collaboration will be built that weds matrix isolation experiments in Germany with high-level ab initio theory in the United States. Our combined experimental and theoretical work will focus on tunneling phenomena in the rotational isomerizations of numerous molecules of type 1 [with R = H, CH3, aryl, cyclopropyl, (CH2)nCOOH] and 2 (beginning with Gly, Ala, Phe, Cys). The results could have profound implications for understanding kinetic stability and conformational dynamics in such systems.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: USA
• Participating Person: Professor Wesley D. Allen