title: Identification of bismuth-thiolate-carboxylate clusters by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: The known thermal and hydrolytic stability of bismuth-sulfur bonds indicates that biological targets for bismuth likely involve thiol or thiolate functionalities, such as in L-cysteine. Complexes of bismuth with cysteine or other thiol-carboxylic acid ligands have been isolated and characterized providing a preliminary view of the potential participation of these functional groups in the biochemical mechanisms involving bismuth. A broader assessment of bismuth-thiolate interactions has been possible using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). A wide range of complexes has been observed containing mercaptosuccinic acid, 2-mercaptopropionic acid, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, and/or 2-amino-3-mercaptopropionic acid (cysteine). The identification of various multibismuth multiligand cluster ions defines new chemistry for bismuth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4J3, Canada.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burford
mesh_terms: D001729:Bismuth / Q000737:chemistry*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008024:Ligands; D015394:Molecular Structure; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D008024:Ligands; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D001729:Bismuth