Photochemistry of the pyruvate anion produces CO2, CO, CH3–, CH3, and a low energy electron

Connor J. Clarke, Jemma A. Gibbard, Lewis Hutton, Jan R. R. Verlet () and Basile F. E. Curchod ()
Additional contact information
Connor J. Clarke: Durham University
Jemma A. Gibbard: Durham University
Lewis Hutton: Durham University
Jan R. R. Verlet: Durham University
Basile F. E. Curchod: Durham University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract The photochemistry of pyruvic acid has attracted much scientific interest because it is believed to play critical roles in atmospheric chemistry. However, under most atmospherically relevant conditions, pyruvic acid deprotonates to form its conjugate base, the photochemistry of which is essentially unknown. Here, we present a detailed study of the photochemistry of the isolated pyruvate anion and uncover that it is extremely rich. Using photoelectron imaging and computational chemistry, we show that photoexcitation by UVA light leads to the formation of CO2, CO, and CH3−. The observation of the unusual methide anion formation and its subsequent decomposition into methyl radical and a free electron may hold important consequences for atmospheric chemistry. From a mechanistic perspective, the initial decarboxylation of pyruvate necessarily differs from that in pyruvic acid, due to the missing proton in the anion.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28582-4

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