Authors: Arthur-Baidoo, Eugene; Izadi, Farhad; Guerra, Carlos; Garcia, Gustavo; Oncak, Milan; Denifl, Stephan

Journal: FRONTIERS IN PHYSICS

Publication date: 2022/04/27

DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2022.880689

Abstract: We have used a crossed electron molecular beam setup to investigate the behavior of the anticancer drug temozolomide (TMZ) upon the attachment of low-energy electrons (0-14 eV) in the gas phase. Upon a single electron attachment, eight anionic fragments are observed, the most intense being an anion with mass of 109 u at a resonance energy of 0 eV. Quantum chemical calculations suggest that this ion is generated after the tetrazine ring opens along a N-N bond and its fragments leave the molecule, forming an imidazole-carboxamide species. This ion represents the most abundant fragment, with further fragments following from its dissociation. The tetrazine ring cleavage reaction forming N-2 is thus the driving force of TMZ reactivity upon electron attachment.