Weak C-H...O and C-H...F-C hydrogen bonds in the oxirane-trifluoromethane dimer

The oxirane-trifluoromethane dimer generated in a supersonic expansion has been characterized by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The rotational spectra of the parent species and of its two (13)C isotopomers in combination with ab initio calculations have been used to establish a C(s)() geometry for the dimer with the two monomers bound by one C-H.O and two C-H.F-C hydrogen bonds. An overall bonding energy of about 6.7 kJ/mol has been derived from the centrifugal distortion analysis. The lengths of the C-H.O and C-H.F hydrogen bonds, r(O.H) and r(F.H), are 2.37 and 2.68 A, respectively. The C-H.F-C interactions give rise to the HCF(3) internal rotation motion barrier of 0.55(1) kJ/mol, which causes the A-E splittings observed in the rotational spectra. The analysis of the structural and energetic features of the C-H.O and C-H.F-C interactions allows us to classify them as weak hydrogen bonds. Ab initio calculations predict these weak interactions to produce blue shifts in the C-H vibrational frequencies and shortenings of the C-H lengths.     

Molecular beam rotational spectrum of cyclobutanone-trifluoromethane: nature of weak CH...O=C and CH...F hydrogen bonds

The molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectrum of cyclobutanone-trifluoromethane has been assigned and measured. The carbon atom of trifluoromethane lies in the plane of the heavy atoms of cyclobutanone. The complex is stabilized by one C-H...O=C and two C-H...F-C weak hydrogen bonds. The C-H...O=C interaction, involving one carbonylic oxygen, is studied for the first time in detail with rotationally resolved spectroscopy. The two C-H...F-C weak hydrogen bonds involve two fluorine atoms of trifluoromethane and two hydrogens of the same methylenic group in the alpha position.     

CH...O and CH...F links form the cage structure of dioxane-trifluoromethane

The molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectrum of 1,4-dioxane-trifluoromethane has been assigned and measured. The two subunits form a cage stabilized by one C-H...O and two C-H...F weak hydrogen bonds. The C-H...O link involves the axial lone pair of one of the two equivalent ring oxygens, while the two C-H...F bridges connect trifluoromethane to the two axial hydrogens in positions 3 and 5. The dissociation energy has been estimated from the D(J) centrifugal distortion parameter to be approximately 6.8 kJ/mol.     

Microsolvation of formamide: a rotational study

Microsolvated formamide clusters have been generated in a supersonic jet expansion and characterized using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Three conformers of the monohydrated cluster and one of the dihydrated complex have been observed. Seven monosubstituted isotopic species have been measured for the most stable conformer of formamide...H(2)O, which adopts a closed planar ring structure stabilized by two intermolecular hydrogen bonds (N-H...O(H)-H...O=C). The two higher energy forms of formamide...H(2)O have been observed for the first time. The second most stable conformer is stabilized by a O-H...O=C and a weak C-H...O hydrogen bond, while, in the less stable form, water accepts a hydrogen bond from the anti hydrogen of the amino group. For formamide...(H(2)O)(2), the parent and nine monosubstituted isotopic species have been observed. In this cluster the two water molecules close a cycle with the amide group through three intermolecular hydrogen bonds (N-H...O(H)-H...O(H)-H...O=C), the nonbonded hydrogen atoms of water adopting an up-down configuration. Substitution (r(s)) and effective (r(0)) structures have been determined for formamide, the most stable form of formamide...H(2)O and formamide...(H(2)O)(2). The results on monohydrated formamide clusters can help to explain the observed preferences of bound water in proteins. Clear evidence of sigma-bond cooperativity effects emerges when comparing the structures of the mono- and dihydrated formamide clusters. No detectable structural changes due to pi-bond cooperativity are observed on formamide upon hydration.     

The rotational spectrum of CuCCH(X̃ 1Σ+): a Fourier transform microwave discharge assisted laser ablation spectroscopy and millimeter/submillimeter study

The pure rotational spectrum of CuCCH in its ground electronic state (X? (1)Σ(+)) has been measured in the frequency range of 7-305 GHz using Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) and direct absorption millimeter/submillimeter methods. This work is the first spectroscopic study of CuCCH, a model system for copper acetylides. The molecule was synthesized using a new technique, discharge assisted laser ablation spectroscopy (DALAS). Four to five rotational transitions were measured for this species in six isotopologues ((63)CuCCH, (65)CuCCH, (63)Cu(13)CCH, (63)CuC(13)CH, (63)Cu(13)C(13)CH, and (63)CuCCD); hyperfine interactions arising from the copper nucleus were resolved, as well as smaller splittings in CuCCD due to deuterium quadrupole coupling. Five rotational transitions were also recorded in the millimeter region for (63)CuCCH and (65)CuCCH, using a Broida oven source. The combined FTMW and millimeter spectra were analyzed with an effective Hamiltonian, and rotational, electric quadrupole (Cu and D) and copper nuclear spin-rotation constants were determined. From the rotational constants, an r(m)(2) structure for CuCCH was established, with r(Cu-C) = 1.8177(6)?A?, r(C-C) = 1.2174(6)?A?, and r(C-H) = 1.046(2)?A?. The geometry suggests that CuCCH is primarily a covalent species with the copper atom singly bonded to the C≡C-H moiety. The copper quadrupole constant indicates that the bonding orbital of this atom may be sp hybridized. The DALAS technique promises to be fruitful in the study of other small, metal-containing molecules of chemical interest.     

Shapes and noncovalent interactions of oligomers: the rotational spectrum of the difluoromethane trimer

The trimer of difluoromethane, (CH2F2)3, has been characterized by supersonic jet Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The rotational spectrum displays all types (mu(a), mu(b), and mu(c)) of transitions, showing that the adduct does not possess any element of molecular symmetry. The investigation of the three 13C species in natural abundance indicates that the three carbon atoms form a triangle where the C-C distances are 3.648(2), 3.825(8), and 3.942(6) A, respectively. The three subunits are held together by nine CH...F weak hydrogen bonds.     

Hydrogen‐Bond Cooperativity in Formamide2–Water: A Model for Water‐Mediated Interactions

The rotational spectrum of formamide₂–H₂O formed in a supersonic jet has been characterized by Fourier‐transform microwave spectroscopy. This adduct provides a simple model of water‐mediated interaction involving the amide linkages, as occur in protein folding or amide‐association processes, showing the interplay between self‐association and solvation. Mono‐substituted ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ¹⁸O, and ²H isotopologues have been observed and their data used to investigate the structure. The adduct forms an almost planar three‐body sequential cycle. The two formamide molecules link on one side through an N?H???O hydrogen bond and on the other side through a water‐mediated interaction with the formation of C=O???H?O and O???H?N hydrogen bonds. The analysis of the quadrupole coupling effects of two ¹⁴N‐nuclei reveals the subtle inductive forces associated to cooperative hydrogen bonding. These forces are involved in the changes in the C=O and C?N bond lengths with respect to pure formamide.     

Structure, dipole moment and large amplitude motions of 1-benzofuran

The rotational spectrum of 1-benzofuran has been investigated by three different rotational spectroscopy techniques: (i) millimeterwave absorption free jet spectroscopy, useful for a fast assignment of the spectrum; (ii) molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy, sensitive to detect less abundant isotopic species in natural abundance; (iii) waveguide conventional microwave spectroscopy, useful for the study of intramolecular dynamics, through the rotational spectra of the vibrational satellites of low energy modes. Besides the rotational spectrum of the ground state of the normal species, the spectra of 9 singly substituted 13C and 18O isotopomers in natural abundance, and of 6 vibrational satellites, have been measured. Precise structural parameters for the molecule, as well as information on the potential energy surface of the low energy vibrations, have been obtained. The dipole moment components have been determined to be micro(a)= 0.216 (2) and micro(b)= 0.720 (3) D, respectively.     

Observation of a double C-H···π interaction in the CH2ClF···HCCH weakly bound complex

The structure of the CH(2)ClF···HCCH dimer has been determined using both chirped-pulse and resonant cavity Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy. The complex has C(s) symmetry and contains both a double C-H···π interaction, in which one π-bond acts as acceptor to two hydrogen atoms from the CH(2)ClF donor, and a weak C-H···Cl interaction, with acetylene as the donor. Analysis of the rotational spectra of four isotopologues (CH(2)(35)ClF···H(12)C(12)CH, CH(2)(37)ClF···H(12)C(12)CH, CH(2)(35)ClF···H(13)C(13)CH, and CH(2)(37)ClF-H(13)C(13)CH) has led to a structure with C-H···π distances of 3.236(6) ? and a C-H···Cl distance of 3.207(22) ?, in good agreement with ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. Both weak contacts are longer than those observed in similar complexes containing a single C-H···π interaction that lies in the C(s) plane; however, this appears to be the first double C-H···π contact to be studied by microwave spectroscopy, so there is little data for direct comparison. The rotational and chlorine nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for the most abundant isotopologue are: A = 5262.899(14) MHz, B = 1546.8074(10) MHz, C = 1205.4349(7) MHz, χ(aa) = 28.497(5) MHz, χ(bb) = -65.618(13) MHz, and χ(cc) = 37.121(8) MHz.     

Preferred conformers of proteinogenic glutamic acid

The molecular shape of proteinogenic glutamic acid has been determined for the first time. Vaporization of the solid amino acid by laser ablation in combination with Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy made possible the detection of five different structures in a supersonic jet. These structures have been identified through their rotational and (14)N quadrupole coupling constants. All conformers show hydrogen bonds linking the amino and alpha carboxylic group through N-H···O═C (type I) or N···H-O (type II) interactions. In three of them there are additional hydrogen bonds established between the amino group and the carboxylic group in the gamma position. Entropic effects related to the side chain have been found to be significant in determining the most populated conformations.     

On the weak O-H···halogen hydrogen bond: a rotational study of CH3CHClF···H2O

We measured the molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectra of six isotopologues of the 1?:?1 adduct of CH(3)CHClF with water. Water prefers to form an O-H···F rather than an O-H···Cl hydrogen bond. This is just the contrary of what was observed in the chlorofluoromethane-water adduct, where an O-H···Cl link was formed (W. Caminati, S. Melandri, A. Maris and P. Ottaviani, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2006, 45, 2438). The water molecule is linked with an O-H···F bridge to the fluorine atom, with r(F···H(w)) = 2.14 ?, and with two C-H···O contacts to the alkyl hydrogens with r(C(1)-H(1)···O(w)) = 2.75 ? and r(C(2)-H(2)···O(w)) = 2.84 ?, respectively. Besides the rotational constants, the quadrupole coupling constants of the chlorine atom have been determined. In addition, information on the internal dynamics has been obtained.     

Crystal Structure of 2,6-Dihistidine Dimethyl Ester Pyridine Acylamine Monohydrate

The crystal structure of the title compound,C21H25N7O7,has been determined in the orthorhombic space group C222(1) with a=8.993(10),b=12.149(14),c=22.20(2) and Z=4.There exist intramolecular C-H…O and N-H…N hydrogen bonds in the title crystal structure.The intermolecular N-H…N and C-H…O hydrogen bonds together with π-π stacking interactions(face-to-face) link the molecules into an infinite three-dimensional supramolecular network.     

Axial and equatorial hydrogen bonds: jet-cooled rotational spectrum of the pentamethylene sulfide...hydrogen fluoride complex

Two different axial and equatorial hydrogen-bonded conformers of the complex formed by pentamethylene sulfide and hydrogen fluoride have been generated in a pulsed supersonic expansion and characterised by means of Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The ground-state rotational spectra of six isotopomers (C(5)H(10)S...HF, C(5)H(10)S ...DF, C(5)H(10)(34)S ...HF, (13)C(alpha)C(4)H(10)S ...HF, (13)C(beta)C(4)H(10)S...HF and (13)C(gamma)C(4)H(10)S ...HF) have been analysed for both conformers in the frequency range 5.5-18.5 GHz. The rotational parameters were used to derive C(s) structures for the conformers, with hydrogen fluoride pointing to the domain of the nonbonding electron pairs at either the axial or equatorial position of the sulfur atom. The axial form was found to be the more stable, in contrast with the observation for the pentamethylene sulfide...HCl complex. No equatorial-to-axial relaxation was observed when He or Ar were used as the carrier gas. The conformational behaviour is compared with that of related six-membered rings and discussed in terms of the existence of secondary hydrogen bonding between the halogen atom and the nearest H atoms of the methylene groups of the ring. No significant structural distortion of pentamethylene sulfide upon complexation was detected from a comparison with the structure of the isolated monomer. Finally, an ab initio study was carried out to complement the experimental results.     

Aromatic C-H...O interactions in a series of bindone analogues. NMR and quantum mechanical study

The aromatic C-H...O hydrogen bonding within the series of the structurally relative indenone derivatives has been studied. The presence of the hydrogen bonds is corroborated by the large low-field chemical shifts of the protons involved in the hydrogen bond observed experimentally and reproduced by quantum mechanical calculations. Further confirmation is provided by analysis of the orbital overlap coefficients, (13)C NMR chemical shifts, and one-bond spin-spin coupling constants J((13)C-(1)H). The relationship between molecular geometry and (1)H NMR chemical shifts of involved protons has a complex nature, but the C-H...O distance is the principal factor.     

Oxa bowls: synthesis of new tetraoxa-cages and their C-H.O-mediated solid-state architecture

We have envisioned a new family of oxa-bowls, and a general approach to these entities has been proposed through polycyclic frameworks having two converging olefinic double bonds. Ozonolysis of such molecules was envisaged to give all-cis-tetraaldehyde functionality, which could undergo intramolecular cascade acetalization to oxa-bowls having C(2)(v )()symmetry. Homohypostrophene 16a and its functionalized derivative 16b and hypostrophene 17 on ozonolysis furnished the oxa-cages 22a, 22b, and 23, respectively. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of 22a and 23 showed an interesting network of C-H.O interactions mainly involving the nonacidic cycloalkane hydrogen atoms. The molecule 22a exhibits an interesting tapelike C-H.O hydrogen bonding motif in its crystal structure. On the other hand, the molecule 23 revealed an undulated ribbonlike C-H. O motif. The "chain of rings" pattern of C-H.O interactions in 23 has been observed for the first time in the solid-state structure of oxa-bowls.     

The conformers of phenylglycine

The neutral form of the unnatural amino acid phenylglycine was vaporized by laser ablation, and the presence of two conformers was detected in a supersonic expansion by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Both conformers were unequivocally identified by comparison of their experimental rotational and quadrupole coupling constants with those calculated ab initio. The most stable conformer is stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds N-H...O=C, N-H...pi (with the closest C-C bond in the aromatic ring), and a cis-COOH interaction. The other conformer exhibits a O-H...N hydrogen bond between the hydrogen atom of the hydroxyl group and the lone pair at the nitrogen atom.     

High-resolution infrared spectrum of the nu1 Ba nd of eta5-C5H5NiNO

Gas-phase rotational constants and distortion constants have been determined for the nu1 (v=1) excited vibrational state of cyclopentadienylnickel nitrosyl (C5H5NiNO) using a high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer system at Kitt Peak, Arizona. The rotationally resolved lines have been measured for the C-H symmetric stretch vibration (nu1=3110 cm(-1)). In the present analysis, over 150 lines have been assigned and fitted using a rigid-rotor Hamiltonian with centrifugal distortion. The vibrational band center, excited-state rotational constants, and distortion constants derived from the measured spectrum for this prolate symmetric-top molecule are nuo=3110.4129(4) cm(-1), A'=0.14328(8) cm(-1), B'=C'=0.041285(1) cm(-1), DJ'=0.078(1) kHz, DJK'=2.23(4) kHz, and DK'=-2.63(2) kHz, respectively. Several different combination differences, with a common upper state, were calculated for different K stacks for the observed spectra, and the consistency of the lower state rotational constants obtained provided further support for the current assignment. The ground-state rotational constant (B') derived from this combination differences analysis agrees with the previously obtained Fourier transform microwave value to within 0.15%. However, ground-state rotational constants, A' and B', have been fixed in the present analysis to avoid correlation effects and to get more accurate results. The new measured parameters are compared with the previously obtained results from Fourier transform microwave and infrared spectroscopy measurements. The C-H vibration stretching frequency and rotational constants were calculated using density functional theory calculations, and these were quite helpful in resolving ambiguities in the fitting procedure and for initial assignments of measured lines.     

Axial and equatorial hydrogen-bond conformers and ring-puckering motion in the trimethylene sulfide.hydrogen fluoride complex

Axial and equatorial hydrogen-bond conformers of the trimethylene sulfide.hydrogen fluoride complex have been generated and characterized in the supersonic jet of a molecular beam Fourier transform microwave experiment. It is shown that the ring-puckering large amplitude motion of trimethylene sulfide is responsible for the observed conformers. The axial conformer has been found to be the most stable and has been proved by the existence of relaxation of the high-energy equatorial form to it. This conformational preference has been explained in the context of a delicate balance between primary and secondary hydrogen bonds. The interconversion between both conformers takes place through the ring-puckering motion of the heterocycle, provided that the barrier to the ring inversion remains low after complexation, as all experimental findings indicate. The structural parameters of the trimethylene sulfide and the hydrogen bond have been derived from the analysis of the rotational spectra of the C(3)H(6) (32)S.HF, C(3)H(6) (34)S.HF, (13)C(alpha) (12)C(2)H(6) (32)S.HF, and (13)C(beta) (12)C(2)H(6) (32)S.HF isotopomers. Both conformers have C(s) symmetry with the hydrogen fluoride located in the molecular symmetry plane of trimethylene sulfide, which is puckered at a similar angle to that found for the bare ring.     

Complexes of atmospheric alpha-dicarbonyls with water: FTIR matrix isolation and theoretical study

The complexes of glyoxal (Gly), methylglyoxal (MGly), and diacetyl (DAc) with water have been studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) matrix isolation spectroscopy and MP2 calculations with 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. The analysis of the experimental spectra of the Gly(MGly,DAc)/H2O/Ar matrixes indicates formation of one Gly...H2O complex, three MGly...H2O complexes, and two DAc...H2O ones. All the complexes are stabilized by the O-H...O(C) hydrogen bond between the water molecule and carbonyl oxygen as evidenced by the strong perturbation of the O-H, C=O stretching vibrations. The blue shift of the CH stretching vibration in the Gly...H2O complex and in two MGly...H2O ones suggests that these complexes are additionally stabilized by the improper C-H...O(H2) hydrogen bonding. The theoretical calculations confirm the experimental findings. They evidence the stability of three hydrogen-bonded Gly...H2O and DAc...H2O complexes and six MGly...H2O ones stabilized by the O-H...O(C) hydrogen bond. The calculated vibrational frequencies and geometrical parameters indicate that one DAc..H2O complexes, two Gly...H2O, and three MGly...H2O ones are additionally stabilized by the improper hydrogen bonding between the C-H group and water oxygen. The comparison of the theoretical frequencies with the experimental ones allowed us to attribute the calculated structures to the complexes present in the matrixes.     

Molecular geometries of H2S···ICF3 and H2O···ICF3 characterised by broadband rotational spectroscopy

The rotational spectra of three isotopologues of H(2)S···ICF(3) and four isotopologues of H(2)O···ICF(3) are measured from 7-18 GHz by chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The rotational constant, B(0), centrifugal distortion constants, D(J) and D(JK), and nuclear quadrupole coupling constant of (127)I, χ(aa)(I), are precisely determined for H(2)S···ICF(3) and H(2)O···ICF(3) by fitting observed transitions to the Hamiltonians appropriate to symmetric tops. The measured rotational constants allow determination of the molecular geometries. The C(2) axis of H(2)O/H(2)S intersects the C(3) axis of the CF(3)I sub-unit at the oxygen atom. The lengths of halogen bonds identified between iodine and sulphur, r(S···I), and iodine and oxygen, r(O···I), are determined to be 3.5589(2) ? and 3.0517(18) ? respectively. The angle, φ, between the local C(2) axis of the H(2)S/H(2)O sub-unit and the C(3) axis of CF(3)I is found to be 93.7(2)° in H(2)S···ICF(3) and 34.4(20)° in H(2)O···ICF(3). The observed symmetric top spectra imply nearly free internal rotation of the C(2) axis of the hydrogen sulphide/water unit about the C(3) axis of CF(3)I in each of these complexes. Additional transitions of H(2)(16)O···ICF(3), D(2)(16)O···ICF(3) and H(2)(18)O···ICF(3) can be assigned only using asymmetric top Hamiltonians, suggesting that the effective rigid-rotor fits employed do not completely represent the internal dynamics of H(2)O···ICF(3).