Radical Cations of the Monomer and van der Waals Dimer of a Methionine Residue as Prototypes of (2 Center-3 Electron) SN and SS Bonds. Molecular Simulations of Their Absorption Spectra in Water.

Oxidation of peptides or proteins by the OH(•) radicals produced by pulse radiolysis yields species identified by their absorption spectra in the UV-visible domain. However, the case of methionine (Met) in peptides is complex because its oxidation can lead to various free radicals with 2 center-3 electron (2c-3e) bonds. We have performed Monte Carlo/density functional theory molecular simulations of the radical cation of the methylated methionine aminoacid, Met(•+), taken as a model of the methonine residue of peptides, and of the radical cation of its van der Waals dimer, Met2(•+). The cation of the methionine residue displays a 2c-3e SN bond. The cation of dimer Met2(•+) displays three quasidegenerate conformers, one stabilized by a 2c-3e SS bond and the other two stabilized by ion-molecule interactions and made up of a neutral and a cationic unit. These conformers are characterized by their charge and spin density localization and their UV-visible absorption spectra. These spectra enable a discussion of the absorption spectra of the literature; in particular, we emphasize the role of dimers before and after the oxidation process.