title: Formation of Negative Ions upon Dissociative Electron Attachment to the Astrochemically Relevant Molecule Aminoacetonitrile.
abstract: Aminoacetonitrile (NH2CH2CN, AAN) is a molecule relevant for interstellar chemistry and the chemical evolution of life. It is a very important molecule in the Strecker diagram explaining the formation of amino acids. In the present investigation, dissociative electron attachment to NH2CN was studied in a crossed electron-molecular beams experiment in the electron energy range from about 0 to 17 eV. In this electron energy range, the following six anionic species were detected: C2H3N2(-), C2H2N2(-), C2H2N(-), C2HN(-), CN(-), and NH2(-). Possible reaction channels for all the measured negative ions are discussed, and the experimental results are compared with calculated thermochemical thresholds of the observed anions. Similar to other nitrile and aminonitrile compounds, the main anions detected were the negatively charged nitrile group, the dehydrogenated parent molecule, and the amino group. No parent anion was observed. Low anion yields were observed indicating that AAN is less prone to electron capture. Therefore, AAN can be considered to exhibit a relatively long lifetime under typical conditions in outer space.
authors.affiliation: Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Marie Curie-Sklodowska University , Pl. M. C.-Sklodowskiej 1, 20-031 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelc
authors.affiliation: Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck , Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Stefan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck , Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matias
authors.affiliation: Ion Microprobe Facility Micro-Area Analysis Laboratory, Polish Geological Institute-National Research Institute , Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Czupyt
authors.affiliation: Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Leopold Franzens Universität Innsbruck , Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denifl