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Chapter 7
Biologically Relevant Molecules Studied in Low
Temperature Inert Matrices
Rui Fausto and Nihal Kuş
m. Baranska (ed.), Optical Spectroscopy and Computational Methods in Biology and
Medicine, Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics 14,
doI 10.1007/978-94-007-7832-0_7, © Springer Science+Business media dordrecht 2014
R. Fausto () · N. Kuş
department of Chemistry, university of Coimbra, 3004-535, Coimbra, Portugal
e-mail: rfausto@ci.uc.pt
N. Kuş
Department of Physics, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskişehir, Turkey
Abstract matrix isolation is a technique where gaseous atoms and molecules are
trapped in an environment of solidified inert gases at temperatures close to absolute zero. the method was originally used to study free radicals and other short-lived
chemical reaction intermediates, but receives nowadays many other uses, including
its application to the study of molecules of biological importance. Without surprise,
the method has been progressively catching the interest of biochemists and molecular
biologists, and has been applied to many molecules with pharmaceutical or medical
use. In this Chapter, we describe the use of matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy to
investigate molecules of biological interest. the fundamentals of the technique are
briefly presented, and examples of its application to the study of different phenomena
in a series of selected molecules of biological relevance are provided.
Keywords Low temperature inert matrices • Infrared spectroscopy • Amino acids •
Nuclei acids’ bases • Phenols • Coumarins
7.1 Introduction
Biologically relevant molecules may be large complex molecular entities or simple
small molecules. Proteins and nucleic acids are examples of large biomolecules
that are fundamental for life, since they constitute the main machinery that makes
a living being functioning. however, even the simplest molecules may play a fundamental role in life. molecular oxygen is, probably, the best example of a simple,
small molecule playing a critical role in biology, at least for the nowadays most
developed organisms.
Along the biological evolution, the organisms had to use simple, easily accessible molecules as energy-providing materials to keep them working, but they also
Chapter 7
Biologically Relevant Molecules Studied in Low
Temperature Inert Matrices
Rui Fausto and Nihal Kuş
m. Baranska (ed.), Optical Spectroscopy and Computational Methods in Biology and
Medicine, Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics 14,
doI 10.1007/978-94-007-7832-0_7, © Springer Science+Business media dordrecht 2014
R. Fausto () · N. Kuş
department of Chemistry, university of Coimbra, 3004-535, Coimbra, Portugal
e-mail: rfausto@ci.uc.pt
N. Kuş
Department of Physics, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskişehir, Turkey
Abstract matrix isolation is a technique where gaseous atoms and molecules are
trapped in an environment of solidified inert gases at temperatures close to absolute zero. the method was originally used to study free radicals and other short-lived
chemical reaction intermediates, but receives nowadays many other uses, including
its application to the study of molecules of biological importance. Without surprise,
the method has been progressively catching the interest of biochemists and molecular
biologists, and has been applied to many molecules with pharmaceutical or medical
use. In this Chapter, we describe the use of matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy to
investigate molecules of biological interest. the fundamentals of the technique are
briefly presented, and examples of its application to the study of different phenomena
in a series of selected molecules of biological relevance are provided.
Keywords Low temperature inert matrices • Infrared spectroscopy • Amino acids •
Nuclei acids’ bases • Phenols • Coumarins
7.1 Introduction
Biologically relevant molecules may be large complex molecular entities or simple
small molecules. Proteins and nucleic acids are examples of large biomolecules
that are fundamental for life, since they constitute the main machinery that makes
a living being functioning. however, even the simplest molecules may play a fundamental role in life. molecular oxygen is, probably, the best example of a simple,
small molecule playing a critical role in biology, at least for the nowadays most
developed organisms.
Along the biological evolution, the organisms had to use simple, easily accessible molecules as energy-providing materials to keep them working, but they also