김민수 (POSTECH)

김민수 (POSTECH)

Ethanolamine (ETA) contains both an amino group and a hydroxy group and can therefore form extended hydrogen-bonded ion-pair networks with hydrogen halides. In this study, ETA was mixed with HX (X = Cl or I), and the resulting clusters were examined by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI–MS). A broad series of ETA–HX cluster ions was readily observed in both positive- and negative-ion modes, indicating that these assemblies are efficiently stabilized during electrospray ionization.  Although the individual components are achiral, asymmetric organization of the hydrogen-bond and electrostatic interaction network may generate conformationally chiral cluster structures. Among the observed species, (ETA–HX)₃X⁻ and (ETA–HX)₆X⁻ were identified as particularly plausible candidates for such chiral arrangements because their stoichiometries can support non-centrosymmetric three-dimensional ion-pair hydrogen bond networks. These results demonstrate that simple amino alcohol–hydrogen halide systems can produce diverse supramolecular clusters and provide a useful platform for investigating chirality generated through ionic self-assembly in the gas phase.

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