Analytical Jet Spectroscopy of Tyrosine and its Analogs Using a Pulsed Laser Desorption Volatilization Method

Pulsed laser desorption is used as a means of volatilizing nonvolatile and thermally labile molecules for entrainment into a supersonic jet expansion. The jet expansion provides ultracold molecules whose sharp spectral features are probed by resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Such jet-cooled spectra are demonstrated for tyrosine and related structural analogs. Despite the similarity between these tyrosine-based compounds, electronic spectroscopy is shown to be a sensitive probe of small structural changes in these related biological compounds.