Basicity of some P1 phosphazenes in water and in aqueous surfactant solution

The pKa values in water and in dilute surfactant solution for 15 ring-substituted phenyl P1 pyrrolidino phosphazenes PhN=P(NC4H8)3 and the phenyl P1 dimethylamino phosphazene PhN=P(NMe2)3 previously studied in acetonitrile (AN) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) are reported. The nonionic surfactant Tween 20 was used for the basicity measurements of some compounds to overcome the solubility problems. Measurements with a control group of phosphazenes in both media were used to validate the use of the obtained pKa values as estimates of aqueous values. The pK(a) values of the studied phosphazenes in aqueous medium vary from 6.82 (2,6-dinitro-) to 12.00 (4-dimethylamino-). The basicity span is 5.18 pKa units. The aqueous pKa values of the P1 phosphazenes were correlated with the respective basicity data in AN and THF and from these correlations the pK(a) values in water for the parent compounds HN=P(NC4H8)3 and HN=P(NMe2)3 were estimated as 13.9 and 13.3. Also a comparison of the basicity of phosphazenes and some guanidines, amines and pyridines was made. In water the parent phosphazenes and guanidines are the strongest of all the groups of bases studied. In AN and THF the parent phosphazenes are clearly the strongest bases followed by guanidines, amines and pyridines which are bracketed between the basicities of phenyl phosphazenes. In the gas phase the phosphazenes for which data are available are clearly more basic than the other compounds referred to here. Comparison of the basicity data of P1 phosphazenes and some guanidines confirms earlier conclusions about the partly ylidic character of the N=P double bond.     

Acid-base equilibria in nonpolar media. 4. Extension of the self-consistent basicity scale in THF medium. Gas-phase basicities of phosphazenes

Eleven new phenyl-substituted phosphazenes (P1-, P3-, and P4-bases) have been synthesized by the Staudinger or the Kirsanov reactions. The UV-vis spectrophotometric titration method was used to establish the relative basicity of them, and to extend the ion-pair basicity scale for THF medium. These measurements together with our previous work give a continuous basicity scale in THF ranging from 2.6 (2-MeO-pyridine) to 26.6 (2-Cl-C6H4P4(pyrr) phosphazene) in pKalpha units: that is for 24 orders of magnitude and containing 58 compounds (pyridines, anilines, amines, guanidines, amidines, phosphazenes). Ion-pair formation was taken into account by using the Fuoss equation. DeltapKip values of some phosphazene indicators estimated earlier by the 13C NMR method were revised. For some of the phosphazenes gas-phase basicities were measured.     

Guanidinophosphazenes: design, synthesis, and basicity in THF and in the gas phase

A principle for creating a new generation of nonionic superbases is presented. It is based on attachment of tetraalkylguanidino, 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-imino, or bis(tetraalkylguanidino)carbimino groups to the phosphorus atom of the iminophosphorane group using tetramethylguanidine or easily available 1,3-dimethylimidazolidine-2-imine. Seven new nonionic superbasic phosphazene bases, tetramethylguanidino-substituted at the P atom, have been synthesized. Their base strengths are established in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution by means of spectrophotometric titration and compared with those of eight reference superbases designed specially for this study, P2- and P4-iminophosphoranes. The gas-phase basicities of several guanidino- and N',N',N',N'-tetramethylguanidino (tmg)-substituted phosphazenes and their cyclic analogues are calculated, and the crystal structures of (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu and (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu x HBF4 are determined. The enormous basicity-increasing effect of this principle is experimentally verified for the tetramethylguanidino groups in the THF medium: the basicity increase when moving from (dma)3P=N-t-Bu (pKalpha = 18.9) to (tmg)3P=N-t-Bu (pKalpha = 29.1) is 10 orders of magnitude. A significantly larger basicity increase (up to 20 powers of 10) is expected (based on the high-level density functional theory calculations) to accompany the similar gas-phase transfer between the (dma)3P=NH and (tmg)3P=NH bases. Far stronger basicities still are expected when, in the latter two compounds, all three dimethylamino (or tetramethylguanidino) fragments are replaced by methylated triguanide fragments, (tmg)2C=N-. The gas-phase basicity (around 300-310 kcal/mol) of the resulting base, [(tmg)2C=N-]3P=NH, having only one phosphorus atom, is predicted to exceed the basicity of (dma)3P=NH by more than 40 powers of 10 and to surpass also the basicity of the widely used commercial [(dma)3P=N]3P=N-t-Bu (t-BuP4) superbase.     

The gas-phase basicity and proton affinity of 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene--energetics,structure and interconversion of dihydrotropylium ions

The hitherto unknown gas-phase basicity and proton affinity of 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene (CHT) have been determined by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry. Several independent techniques were used in order to exclude ambiguities due to proton-induced isomerisation of the conjugate cyclic C(7)H(9)(+) ions, [CHT + H](+). The gas-phase basicity obtained by the thermokinetic method, GB(CHT) = 799 +/- 4 kJ mol(-1), was found to be identical, within the limits of experimental error, with the values measured by the equilibrium method starting with protonated reference bases, and with the values resulting from the measurements of the individual forward and reverse rate constants, when corrections were made for the isomerised fraction of the C(7)H(9)(+) population. The experimentally determined gas-phase basicity leads to the proton affinity of cycloheptatriene, PA(CHT) = 833 +/- 4 kJ mol(-1), and the heat of formation of the cyclo-C(7)H(9)(+) ion, deltaH(f)(0)([CHT + H](+)) = 884 +/- 4 kJ mol(-1). Ab initio calculations are in agreement with these experimental values if the 1,2-dihydrotropylium tautomer, [CHT + H((1))](+), generated by protonation of CHT at C-1, is assumed to be the conjugate acid, resulting in PA(CHT) = 825 +/- 2 kJ mol(-1) and deltaH(f)(0)(300)([CHT + H((1))](+)) = 892 +/- 2 kJ mol(-1). However, the calculations indicate that protonation of cycloheptatriene at C-2 gives rise to transannular C-C bond formation, generating protonated norcaradiene [NCD + H](+), a valence tautomer being 19 kJ mol(-1) more stable than [CHT + H((1))](+). The 1,4-dihydrotropylium ion, [CHT + H((3))](+), generated by protonation of CHT at C-3, is 17 kJ mol(-1) less stable than [CHT + H((1))](+). The bicyclic isomer [NCD + H](+) is separated by relatively high barriers, 70 and 66 kJ mol(-1) from the monocyclic isomers, [CHT + H((1))](+) and [CHT + H((3))](+), respectively. Therefore, the initially formed 1,2-dihydrotropylium ion [CHT + H((1))](+) does not rearrange to the bicyclic isomer [NCD + H](+) under mild protonation conditions.     

Gas-phase basicity of methionine

Proton affinity and protonation entropy of methionine (Met) were determined by the extended kinetic method from ESI-Q-TOF tandem mass spectrometry experiments. The values, PA(Met) = 937.5 +/- 2.9 kJ mol(-1) and Delta(p)S degrees (Met) = - 22 +/- 5 J mol(-1) K(-1), lead to gas-phase basicity GB(Met) = 898.2 +/- 3.2 kJ.mol(-1). Quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory confirm that the proton affinity of Met is indeed in the 940 kJ mol(-1) range and that a significant entropy loss, of at least - 25 J mol(-1) K(-1), occurs upon protonation. This last point is evidenced here for the first time and suggests revision of the tabulated protonation thermochemistry of Met. A comparison with previous experimental data allows us to propose the following evaluated thermochemical values: PA(Met) = 943 +/- 4 kJ mol(-1) and Delta(p)S degrees (Met) = - 35 +/- 15 J mol(-1) K(-1) and GB(Met) = 900 +/- 2 kJ mol(-1).     

An experimental and theoretical study of the basicity of tetra-tert-butyltetrahedrane

The gas-phase basicity (GB) of tetra-tert-butyltetrahedrane (tBu4THD) was determined by FT-ICR mass spectrometry and comparison with reference compounds of known basicity. Its GB, 1035+/-10 kJ x mol(-1), makes tetra-tert-butyltetrahedrane one of the strongest bases reported so far. Ab initio calculations [B3LYP/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p)//6-31G(d)] have been carried out in order to compare the high experimental basicity of tBu4THD with that estimated theoretically. Both B3LYP/6-31G(d) and QCISD(T) calculations were used to determine the reaction path which connects the initial tetrahedrane-ammonium complex with the final products, protonated cyclobutadiene (CBDH+) and ammonia.     

Protonation thermochemistry of aminoacetonitrile

The gas-phase basicity (GB) of aminoacetonitrile (NH2CH2CN, 1) has been determined from measurement of proton transfer equilibrium constants in an ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (GB(1) = 789.3 +/- 1.0 kJ x mol(-1)). Molecular orbital calculations up to the G2 level demonstrate that protonation occurs preferentially on the nitrogen atom of the NH2 group, and provide a theoretical proton affinity (PA(1)) of 824.0 kJ x mol(-1). Exact calculation of the entropy associated with hindered rotations and consideration of Boltzman distribution of conformers allow a theoretical estimate of the molar protonation entropy S degrees (1H+) - S degrees (1) = 8.6 J x mol(-1) x K(-1). Combining this value with experimental GB(1) leads to an 'experimental' proton affinity of 819.2 kJ x mol(-1), in close agreement with the G2 expectation.     

Structure, reactivity and thermochemical properties of protonated lactic acid

The protonation energetics of lactic acid (LA) were experimentally determined by the kinetic method including the entropy effect. The values (proton affinity, PA(LA) = 817.4 +/- 4.3 kJ mol(-1); protonation entropy, DeltaS degrees (p)(LA) = -2 +/- 5 J K(-1) mol(-1); gas-phase basicity, GB(LA) = 784.5 +/- 4.5 kJ mol(-1)) agree satisfactorily with computed G2(MP2) expectations (PA(LA) = 811.8 kJ mol(-1); DeltaS degrees (p)(LA) = -7.1 J K(-1) mol(-1); GB(LA) = 777.4 kJ mol(-1)). The fragmentation behaviour of protonated lactic acid (LAH(+)) is dominated by carbon monoxide loss followed by elimination of a water molecule. Direct dehydration of LAH(+) is only a high-energy process hardly competitive with the CO loss. A complete mechanistic scheme, based on MP2/6-31G* calculations, is proposed; it involves isomerization of the various protonated forms of LA and the passage through the ion-neutral complex between the 2-hydroxypropyl acylium cation and a water molecule.     

Gas-phase protonation thermochemistry of adenosine

The goal of this work was to obtain a detailed insight on the gas-phase protonation energetic of adenosine using both mass spectrometric experiments and quantum chemical calculations. The experimental approach used the extended kinetic method with nanoelectrospray ionization and collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry. This method provides experimental values for proton affinity, PA(adenosine) = 979 +/- 1 kJ.mol (-1), and for the "protonation entropy", Delta p S degrees (adenosine) = S degrees (adenosineH (+)) - S degrees (adenosine) = -5 +/- 5 J.mol (-1).K (-1). The corresponding gas-phase basicity is consequently equal to: GB(adenosine) = 945 +/- 2 kJ.mol (-1) at 298K. Theoretical calculations conducted at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level, including 298 K enthalpy correction, predict a proton affinity value of 974 kJ.mol (-1) after consideration of isodesmic proton transfer reactions with pyridine as the reference base. Moreover, computations clearly showed that N3 is the most favorable protonation site for adenosine, due to a strong internal hydrogen bond involving the hydroxyl group at the 2' position of the ribose sugar moiety, unlike observations for adenine and 2'-deoxyadenosine, where protonation occurs on N1. The existence of negligible protonation entropy is confirmed by calculations (theoretical Delta p S degrees (adenosine) approximately -2/-3 J.mol (-1).K (-1)) including conformational analysis and entropy of hindered rotations. Thus, the calculated protonation thermochemical properties are in good agreement with our experimental measurements. It may be noted that the new PA value is approximately 10 kJ.mol (-1) lower than the one reported in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) database, thus pointing to a correction of the tabulated protonation thermochemistry of adenosine.     

Structural Effects on the Intrinsic Basicities of alpha,beta-Unsaturated Lactones and Ketones

The proton affinities of 2(5H)-furanone, 1 (836 kJ/mol), 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one, 2 (862 kJ/mol), cyclopentenone, 3 (857 kJ/mol), and cyclohexenone, 4 (863 kJ/mol), have been measured by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance techniques. A comparison is made with (reexamined) data concerning saturated cyclic and unsaturated aliphatic analogs. Three general observations are made. First, the basicity is found to increase with the size of the ring. Second, unsaturated lactones are more basic than their corresponding aliphatic unsaturated esters. Third, unsaturated and saturated lactones have almost identical gas-phase basicities, while unsaturated and saturated lactones have almost identical gas-phase basicities, while unsaturated cyclic ketones are more basic than their saturated analogs. All these experimental findings have been rationalized by means of ab initio calculations up to the G2(MP2,SVP) level. The basicity trends along the series are the result of two main factors: the different hybridization pattern of the carbonyl carbon as the size of the ring changes and, in the case of lactones, the nonbonding interaction between the proton attached to the carbonyl group and the ether-like oxygen which contributes to the enhanced stability of the protonated form. For unsaturated ketones the C=C double bond participates fully in the change in charge distribution induced by the protonation, while for unsaturated lactones the existence of an oxygen atom within the ring impedes this shift of the electron density.     

Gas-phase basicities of serine and dipeptides of serine and glycine

The gas-phase basicities of serine and dipeptides containing amino acid residues of serine and glycine were determined by proton transfer reactions in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The gas-phase basicity (GB) of L-serine was found to be 205.9 kcal/mol, with addition of a hydroxymethyl group (?CH₂OH) increasing the basicity by 4.5 kcal/mol relative to the simplest amino acid glycine (GB = 201.4 kcal/mol). This is attributed to a combination of intramolecular hydrogen bonding, induction, and symmetry effects. For the dipeptides, addition of a hydroxymethyl group does not result in a large increase in basicity relative to the basicity of glycylglycine (GB = 208.0 kcal/mol). The gas-phase basicities determined for glycyl-l-serine, l-serylglycine, and l-sery-l-serine are 209.3,210.6, and 210.9 kcal/mol, respectively. In comparison to glycylglycine, addition of the hydroxymethyl group at the N terminus has a greater impact on basicity than its placement at the C terminus. These data suggest that the protonation site for these dipeptides is the N-terminal amino nitrogen.     

Gas-phase protonation and deprotonation of acrylonitrile derivatives N[triple chemical bond]C--CH==CH--X (X=CH(3), NH(2), PH(2), SiH(3))

A combined experimental and theoretical study on the gas-phase basicity and acidity of a series of cyanovinyl derivatives is presented. The gas-phase basicities and acidities of (N[triple chemical bond]C--CH==CH--X, X=CH(3), NH(2)) were obtained by means of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry techniques. The corresponding calculated values were obtained at the G3B3 level of theory. The effects of exchanging CH(3) for SiH(3), and NH(2) for PH(2), were analyzed at the same level of theory. For the neutral molecules, the Z isomer is always the dominant species under standard gas-phase conditions at 298 K. The loss of the proton from the substituent X was found systematically to be much more favorable than deprotonation of the HC==CH linking group. The corresponding isomeric E ion is much more stable than the Z ion, so that only the former should be found in the gas phase. The most significant structural changes upon deprotonation occur for the methyl and amino derivatives because, in both cases, deprotonation of X leads to a significant charge delocalization in the corresponding anion. Protonation takes place systematically at the cyano group, whereby the isomeric E ion is again more stable than the Z ion. Push-pull effects explain the preference of aminoacrylonitrile to be protonated at the cyano group, which also explains the high basicity of this derivative relative to other members of the analyzed series that present rather similar gas-phase basicities, GB approximately 780 kJ mol(-1), indicating that the different nature of the substituents has only a weak effect on the intrinsic basicity of the cyano group. The cyanovinyl derivatives have a significantly stronger gas-phase acidity than that of the corresponding vinyl compounds CH(2)==CH--X. This acidity-strengthening effect of the cyano group is attributed to the greater stabilization of the anion with respect to the corresponding neutral compound.     

Phosphorus-Containing Superbases: Recent Progress in the Chemistry of Electron-Abundant Phosphines and Phosphazenes

The renaissance of Brønsted superbases is primarily based on their pronounced capacity for a large variety of chemical transformations under mild reaction conditions. Four major set screws are available for the selective tuning of the basicity: the nature of the basic center (N, P, …), the degree of electron donation by substituents to the central atom, the possibility of charge delocalization, and the energy gain by hydrogen bonding. Within the past decades, a plethora of neutral electron-rich phosphine and phosphazene bases have appeared in the literature. Their outstanding properties and advantages over inorganic or charged bases have now made them indispensable as auxiliary bases in deprotonation processes. Herein, an update of the chemistry of basic phosphines and phosphazenes is given. In addition, due to widespread interest, their use in catalysis or as ligands in coordination chemistry is highlighted.     

Gas-phase basicity: Parameter determining the efficiency of laser desorption/ionization from silicon surfaces

The efficiency of laser desorption/ionization of twenty compounds from the surface of amorphous silicon is studied as a function of proton affinity (PA) and gas-phase basicity (GB). The values of GB and PA are obtained from quantum-chemical calculations using the density functional theory in the B3LYP model with the 6–311++G(3df,3pd) basis set. The values of GB lie in the range from 845 to 977 kJ/mol. The efficiency of laser desorption/ionization exponentially depends on the GB and PA values and for the studied compounds varies from 7 × 10^?6 to 1.4 × 10^?2.     

Theoretical and experimental reevaluation of the basicity of lambda3-phosphinine

We have investigated the basicity of phosphinine (C5H5P, phosphabenzene) in reevaluating its proton affinity (PA) and gas-phase basicity (GB) and the pK(a) value of its protonated form. As a necessary step, we have first determined its gas-phase proton affinity. Using both mass spectrometric and quantum chemical methods, we have obtained the values PA(C5H5P) = 195.8 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1) and GB(298)(C5H5P) = 188.1 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1), in good agreement with previous results. We then derived a value of pK(a)(C5H6P+) = -16.1 +/- 1.0 in aqueous solution using three different approaches: the latter markedly differs from the currently available value of -10. The reason for such a discrepancy in the pK(a) of protonated phosphinine in solution is discussed. In the theoretical determination of PAs, evaluation of the basis set superposition error (BSSE) showed that this effect is quite small, being 0.1-0.2 kcal mol(-1) for phosphinine, when a density functional theory (DFT) method in conjunction with a large basis set were used.     

Gas-phase protonation thermochemistry of arginine

The gas-phase basicity (GB), proton affinity (PA), and protonation entropy (DeltapS degrees (M)=S degrees (MH+)-S degrees (M)) of arginine (Arg) have been experimentally determined by the extended kinetic method using an electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-Q-TOF) mass spectrometer. This method provides GB(Arg)=1004.3+/-2.2 (4.9) kJ.mol(-1) (indicated errors are standard deviations, and in parentheses, 95% confidence limits are given). Consideration of previous experimental data using a fast atom bombardment ionization tandem sector mass spectrometer slightly modifies these estimates since GB(Arg)=1005.9+/-3.1 (6.6) kJ.mol(-1). Lower limits of the proton affinity, PA(Arg)=1046+/-4 (7) kJ.mol(-1), and of the "protonation entropy", DeltapS degrees (Arg)=S degrees (ArgH+)-S degrees (Arg)=-27+/-7 (15) J.mol(-1).K(-1), are also provided by the experiments. Theoretical calculations conducted at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level, including 298 K enthalpy correction, predict a proton affinity value of ca. 1053 kJ.mol-1 after consideration of isodesmic proton-transfer reactions with guanidine as the reference base. Computations including explicit treatment of hindered rotations and mixing of conformers confirm that a noticeable entropy loss does occur upon protonation, which leads to a theoretical DeltapS degrees (Arg) term of ca. -45 J.mol(-1).K(-1). The following evaluated thermochemical parameter values are proposed: GB(Arg)=1005+/-3 kJ.mol(-1); PA(Arg)=1051+/-5 kJ.mol(-1), and DeltapS degrees (Arg)=-45+/-12 J.mol(-1).K(-1).     

Structural and energetic aspects of the protonation of phenol,catechol, resorcinol,and hydroquinone

The various protonated forms of phenol (1), catechol (2), resorcinol (3), and hydroquinone (4) were explored by ab initio quantum chemical calculations at the MP2/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/6-31G(d) levels. Proton affinities (PA) of 1-4 were calculated by the combined G2(MP2,SVP) method, and their gas-phase basicities were estimated after calculation of the change in entropy on protonation. These theoretical data were compared with the corresponding experimental values determined in a high-pressure mass spectrometer. This comparison confirmed that phenols are essentially carbon bases and that protonation generally occurs in a position para to the hydroxyl group. Resorcinol is the most effective base (PA = 856 kJ mol-1) due to the participation of both oxygen atoms in the stabilization of the protonated form. Since protonation is accompanied by a freezing of the two internal rotations, a significant decrease in entropy is observed. The basicity of catechol (PA = 823 kJ mol-1) is due to the existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond, which is strengthened upon protonation. The lower basicity of hydroquinone (PA = 808 kJ mol-1) is a consequence of the fact that protonation necessarily occurs in a position ortho to the hydroxyl group. When the previously published data are reconsidered and a corrected protonation entropy is used, a proton affinity value of 820 kJ mol-1 is obtained for phenol.     

Reaction of acetylenic esters and N-functionalized phosphazenes. 1,2-versus 1,4-addition of N-vinylic phosphazenes

Reaction of phosphazenes derived from aminophosphonates with acetylenic esters leads to conjugated phosphorus ylides. The formation of these stabilized ylides is explained through a [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of the P = N linkage of the phosphazene (1,2-addition) and the triple bond of the acetylenic ester followed by ring opening of the azaphosphete intermediate. However, in the case of N-vinylic phosphazenes, the phosphazenes derived from triphenyl- and trimethyl-phosphine react as enamines (1,4-addition) with diacetylenic esters, whereas in phosphazenes derived from trimethylphosphine a 1,2-addition of ethyl propiolate to the P = N linkage of the phosphazene is produced.     

Gas-phase acidities and O-H bond dissociation enthalpies of phenol, 3-methylphenol, 2,4,6-trimethylphenol, and ethanoic acid

Energy-resolved, competitive threshold collision-induced dissociation (TCID) methods are used to measure the gas-phase acidities of phenol, 3-methylphenol, 2,4,6-trimethylphenol, and ethanoic acid relative to hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, and the hydroperoxyl radical using guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometry. The gas-phase acidities of Delta(acid)H298(C6H5OH) = 1456 +/- 4 kJ/mol, Delta(acid)H298(3-CH3C6H4OH) = 1457 +/- 5 kJ/mol, Delta(acid)H298(2,4,6-(CH3)3C6H2OH) = 1456 +/- 4 kJ/mol, and Delta(acid)H298(CH3COOH) = 1457 +/- 6 kJ/mol are determined. The O-H bond dissociation enthalpy of D298(C6H5O-H) = 361 +/- 4 kJ/mol is derived using the previously published experimental electron affinity for C6H5O, and thermochemical values for the other species are reported. A comparison of the new TCID values with both experimental and theoretical values from the literature is presented.     

Can quantum-mechanical calculations yield reasonable estimates of hydrogen-bonding acceptor strength? The case of hydrogen-bonded complexes of methanol

The thermodynamics and some vibrational properties of hydrogen-bonded complexes of methanol with 23 hydrogen-bond acceptors (HBAs) have been determined in CCl(4) by FTIR spectrometry. The experimental sample contains carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, fluorine, and chlorine organic bases and covers an energetic range of 13 kJ mol(-1) in the basicity scale (-ΔG), 22 kJ mol(-1) in the affinity scale (-ΔH), and 400 cm(-1) in the spectroscopic scale (Δν((OH))) (from benzene to trimethylphosphane oxide and amines). The experimental results in CCl(4) are compared to those computed in the gas phase at various levels of theory. Ninety five percent of the variance of the red shift and 89% of the variance of the intensification of the OH stretching upon hydrogen bonding are explained by gas-phase B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) calculations. However, this level does not satisfactorily explain the thermodynamic properties. Only 68% of the variance of the methanol affinity (-ΔH) is taken into account. MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) affinity calculations raise the explanation to 77% for all HBAs and to 93% when three outliers (Me(2)SO, Me(3)PO, and tetrahydrothiophene) are excluded. Discrepancies are analyzed in terms of experimental errors, calculation approximations, and solvation.