The hydrogen bond strength: New proposals to evaluate the intermolecular interaction using DFT calculations and the AIM theory

Strength of hydrogen bonds of water depends on local environment

In-depth knowledge of water-water potential is important for devising and evaluating simple water models if they are to accurately describe water properties and reflect various solvation phenomena. Water-water potential depends upon inter-molecular distance, relative orientation of water molecules, and also local environment. When placed at a favorable distance in a favorable orientation, water molecules exhibit a particularly strong attractive interaction called hydrogen bond. Although hydrogen bond is very important for its effects on the elements of life, industrial applications, and bulk water properties, there is no scientific consensus on its true nature and origin. Using quantum-mechanical methods, hydrogen bond strength was calculated in different local environments. A simple empirical linear relationship was discovered between maximum hydrogen bond strength and the number of water molecules in the local environment. The local environment effect was shown to be considerable even on the second coordination shell. Additionally, a negative linear correlation was found between maximum hydrogen bond strength and the distance, at which it was observed. These results provide novel insights into the nature of hydrogen bonding.

Bonding topology, hydrogen bond strength, and vibrational chemical shifts on hetero-ring hydrogen-bonded complexes — Theoretical insights revisited

This work presents a theoretical study about the interaction strength of the hydrogen-bonded complexes C2H4O···HF, C3H6O···HF, C2H4O···HCF3, and C3H6O···HCF3 at the B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p) level. The structures, hydrogen bond energies, charge transfers, and dipole moments of these complexes were analyzed in accordance with routine spectroscopy events, such as the red- and blue-shifts on the stretch frequencies of the proton donors (HF and HCF3). The ChelpG atomic charges were used to quantify the charge-transfer fluxes from electron donor (O) towards to acceptors (HF or HCF3). Moreover, the topological calculations on the basis of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) approach were also used to unveil the hydrogen bond strength (O···H), mainly in the determination of their electronic densities and Laplacian shapes.

Direct evaluation of individual hydrogen bond energy in situ in intra- and intermolecular multiple hydrogen bonds system

The results of evaluating the individual hydrogen bond (H-bond) strength are expected to be helpful for the rational design of new strategies for molecular recognition or supramolecular assemblies. Unfortunately, there is few obvious and unambiguous means of evaluating the energy of a single H-bond within a multiple H-bonds system. We present a local analytic model, ABEEMσπ H-bond energy (HBE) model based on ab initio calculations (MP2) as benchmark, to directly and rapidly evaluate the individual HBE in situ in inter- and intramolecular multiple H-bonds system. This model describes the HBE as the sum of electrostatic and van der Waals (vdW) interactions which all depend upon the geometry and environment, and the ambient environment of H-bond in the model is accounted fairly. Thus, it can fairly consider the cooperative effect and secondary effect. The application range of ABEEMσπ HBE model is rather wide. This work has discussed the individual H-bond in DNA base pair and protein peptide dimers. The results indicate that the interactions among donor H atom, acceptor atom as well as those atoms connected to them with 1,2 or 1,3 relationships are all important for evaluating the HBE, although the interaction between the donor H atom and the acceptor atom is large. Furthermore, our model quantitatively indicates the polarization ability of N, O, and S in a new style, and gives the percentage of the polarization effect in HBE, which can not be given by fixed partial charge force field.

Theoretical aspects of binary and ternary complexes of aziridine···ammonia ruled by hydrogen bond strength

B3LYP calculations, ChelpG atomic charges, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) integrations were used to investigate the binary (1:1) and ternary (1:2) hydrogen-bonded complexes formed by aziridine (1) and ammonia (2). In a series of analysis, geometry data, electronic parameters, vibrational oscillators, and topological descriptors were used to evaluate hydrogen bond strength, and additionally to determine the more prominent molecular deformations upon the formation of C(2)H(5)N···NH(3) (1:1) and C(2)H(5)N···2NH(3) (1:2) systems. Taking a spectroscopic viewpoint, results obtained from analysis of the harmonic infrared spectrum were examined. From these, new vibrational modes and red- and blue-shifts related to the stretch frequencies of either donors or acceptors of protons were identified. Furthermore, the molecular topology of the electronic density modeled in accord with QTAIM was absolutely critical in defining bond critical points (BCP) and ring critical points (RCP) on the heterocyclic structures. Taking all the results together allowed us to identify and characterize all the N···H hydrogen bonds, as well as the strain ring of the aziridine and its stability.

HETEROCYCLIC HYDROGEN BONDED COMPLEXES INVOLVING THREE AND FIVE MEMBERS: A QUANTUM CHEMICAL STUDY ABOUT THE CASE OF THE NONLINEARITY ON THE HYDROGEN BONDING

B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) theoretical levels combined with topological calculations based on the theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) were used to study the formation of intermolecular interactions on heterocyclic hydrogen-bonded complexes formed by ethylene oxide, sulfide oxide, 2,5-dihydrofuran, thiophene, and the hydrofluoric acid. As observed, the electrophilic attack of the hydrofluoric acid occur aligned to the n lone pair of the heteroatom of the cyclic systems, the modeled structure of the hydrogen-bonded complexes is interpreted in terms of the intermolecular parameters of the (n ⋯ HF ) hydrogen bond, such as its R(n ⋯ HF ) distance, ΔE C binding energy, and the new υ(n ⋯ HF ) stretching vibrational mode. From these criteria, a relationship between the strength (R, ΔE C and υ) of the hydrogen bonds and its nonlinearity deviation was verified, which is formed by a secondary interaction between the hydrofluoric acid and axial hydrogen atoms of the cyclic structure. Moreover, even though the Bader's electronic density partitioning has been projected with low dependence from ab initio wave functions, it is shown here that the 6-31G(d,p) basis sets characterized the secondary interaction in geometrical point of view, as well as by means of the AIM protocol through the specific calculation of bond critical points between the fluoride and the axial hydrogen atoms.

A theoretical study of dihydrogen bonds in small protonated rings: aziridine and azetidine cations

B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations were used to predict some molecular properties of the C2H6N+...BeH2, C2H6N...MgH2, C3H8N...BeH2 and C3H8N+...MgH2 dihydrogen-bonded complexes. In these systems, it was demonstrated that the C2H6N+ and C3H8N+ protonated rings are potential candidates to bind with protonic hydrogens derived from alkaline earth metal compounds, BeH2 and MgH2. In terms of structural parameters and quantification of the dihydrogen bond energies, we should mention that the C2H6N+ three-membered ring provides the formation of stronger bound systems, which are 4.0 kJ mol-1 more stables than C3H8N+ four-membered ones. As complement, the analysis of the infrared spectrum indicated that red-shifts and blue-shifts are occurring in the N-H bonds of both C2H6N+ and C3H8N+ cationic rings. However, these two vibrational shifts were also verified on BeH2 and MgH2, what lead us to affirm that cationic compounds derived from small nitrogen rings and earth alkaline molecules are able to form unusual dihydrogen-bonded complexes by means of distinct spectroscopic phenomena, the red-shits and blue-shifts.

A theoretical study of red-shifting and blue-shifting hydrogen bonds occurring between imidazolidine derivatives and PEG/PVP polymers

A theoretical study is presented with the aim to investigate the molecular properties of intermolecular complexes formed by the monomeric units of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or polyethyleneglycol (PEG) polymers and a set of four imidazolidine (hydantoine) derivatives. The substitution of the carbonyl groups for thiocarbonyl in the hydantoin scaffold was taken into account when analyzing the effect of the hydrogen bonds on imidazolidine derivatives. B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) calculations and topological integrations derived from the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) were applied with the purpose of examining the N-H···O hydrogen bond strengths formed between the amide group of the hydantoine ring and the oxygen atoms of PVP and PEG polymers. The effects caused by the N-H···O interaction fit the typical evidence for hydrogen bonds, which includes a variation in the stretch frequencies of the N-H bonds. These frequencies were identified as being vibrational red-shifts because their values decreased. Although the values of such calculated interaction energies are between 12 and 33 kJ mol(-1), secondary intermolecular interactions were also identified. One of these secondary interactions is formed through the interaction of the benzyl hydrogen atoms with the oxygen atoms of the PVP and PEG structures. As such, we have analyzed the stretch frequencies on the C-H bonds of the benzyl groups, and blue-shifts were identified on these bonds. In this sense, the intermolecular systems formed by hydantoine derivatives and PVP/PEG monomers were characterized as a mix of red-shifting and blue-shifting hydrogen-bonded complexes.

Intermolecular interactions in 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine hydrochloride hydrate: X-ray structural and quantum mechanical study

2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine hydrochloride hydrate (I) was determined by X-ray crystallography, and the intermolecular interaction energies were calculated in terms of Natural Bond Orbital analysis. The asymmetric unit of (I) consists of a dinitrophenylhydrazinium cation, a chloride anion and a water molecule. The interatomic distances and angles in (I) show no unusual values. In the structure there are intermolecular N—H⊎⊎⊎O, N—H⊎⊎⊎Cl, O—H⊎⊎⊎Cl, C—H⊎⊎⊎O hydrogen bonds with bonding energy ranging form 16.03 to 0.76 kcal mol−1. These hydrogen bonds create the following N1 motifs: 6D, S(5), S(6), C(6), C(9). N1D motifs become infinite at the third level and are 2C 32(6), C 32(7).

The molecular properties of heterocyclic and homocyclic hydrogen-bonded complexes evaluated by DFT calculations and AIM densities

This theoretical study presents a comparative analysis of the molecular properties of heterocyclic (C2H4O...HF and C2H5...HF) and homocyclic (C3H6...HF) hydrogen-bonded complexes. Initially, the equilibrium geometries of these complexes were analyzed in detail at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. Subsequently, the interaction energies and polarizabilities were also evaluated, as well as the infrared stretch frequencies and absorption intensities. In addition, by combining intermolecular criteria and charge density concepts, calculations of Bader's theory of atoms in molecules were used to determine the maxima and minima for electron density in order to measure the strength of the n...H and ppi...H hydrogen bonds. Finally, the possibility of an F...H(alpha) secondary interaction between the fluoride (F) of hydrogen fluoride and the axial hydrogen atoms (H(alpha)) of the C2H4O and C2H5N heterocyclic rings was explored.

Theoretical Studies of the Reaction Channels on the SO2/OH/NO Singlet Potential Energy Surface

Ab initio MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) investigation of the SO2/OH/NO singlet potential energy surface (PES) has been performed with the aim to localize and describe the existing minima and transition states linking them. The systematic studies have revealed seven minima, with the trans-HONO-SO2 complex (1t) being the global minimum. Eight transition states between minima or between minima and the relevant reactant species have been described. Several available izomerization and dissociation routes have been identified and discussed. The most favorable association of HOSO2 and NO was found to be a barrierless process forming nitrososulfonic acids. Isomerizations between trans-, cis-, and gauche- nitrososulfonic acids (2t, 2c, and 2g) are possible with low-energy barriers. The HOSO2 and NO species can also react via another channels involving high-energy transition states to produce the HOSO-NO2 (3) and HNO-SO3 (4) complexes.