Octyl 1‐(5‐tert‐butyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐3‐yl)‐2‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole‐5‐carboxylate: complex sheets built from N—H...N,C—H...N and C—H...O hydrogen bonds

In the title compound, C₂₉H₃₅ClN₄O₂, the bond lengths provide evidence for aromatic delocalization in the pyrazole ring but bond fixation in the fused imidazole ring, and the octyl chain is folded, rather than adopting an all‐trans chain‐extended conformation. A combination of N—H...N, C—H...N and C—H...O hydrogen bonds links the molecules into sheets, in which the hydrogen bonds occupy the central layer with the tert‐butyl and octyl groups arranged on either side, such that the closest contacts between adjacent sheets involve only the octyl groups. Comparisons are made with the supramolecular assembly in some simpler analogues.     

Intra‐ and intermolecular Se...X (X = Se,O) interactions in selenium‐containing heterocycles: 3‐benzoylimino‐5‐(morpholin‐4‐yl)‐1,2,4‐diselenazole

In the selenium‐containing heterocyclic title compound {systematic name: N‐[5‐(morpholin‐4‐yl)‐3H‐1,2,4‐diselenazol‐3‐ylidene]benzamide}, C₁₃H₁₃N₃O₂Se₂, the five‐membered 1,2,4‐diselenazole ring and the amide group form a planar unit, but the phenyl ring plane is twisted by 22.12 (19)° relative to this plane. The five consecutive N—C bond lengths are all of similar lengths [1.316 (6)–1.358 (6) Å], indicating substantial delocalization along these bonds. The Se...O distance of 2.302 (3) Å, combined with a longer than usual amide C=O bond of 2.252 (5) Å, suggest a significant interaction between the amide O atom and its adjacent Se atom. An analysis of related structures containing an Se—Se...X unit (X = Se, S, O) shows a strong correlation between the Se—Se bond length and the strength of the Se...X interaction. When X = O, the strength of the Se...O interaction also correlates with the carbonyl C=O bond length. Weak intermolecular Se...Se, Se...O, C—H...O, C—H...π and π–π interactions each serve to link the molecules into ribbons or chains, with the C—H...O motif being a double helix, while the combination of all interactions generates the overall three‐dimensional supramolecular framework.     

A comparative study of two polymorphs of L‐aspartic acid hydrochloride

Two polymorphs of L‐aspartic acid hydrochloride, C₄H₈NO₄⁺·Cl⁻, were obtained from the same aqueous solution. Their crystal structures have been determined from single‐crystal data collected at 100 K. The crystal structures revealed three‐ and two‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonding networks for the triclinic and orthorhombic polymorphs, respectively. The cations and anions are connected to one another via N—H...Cl and O—H...Cl interactions and form alternating cation–anion layer‐like structures. The two polymorphs share common structural features; however, the conformations of the L‐aspartate cations and the crystal packings are different. Furthermore, the molecular packing of the orthorhombic polymorph contains more interesting interactions which seems to be a favourable factor for more efficient charge transfer within the crystal.     

Hydrogen bonding in 4‐nitrobenzene‐1,2‐diamine and two hydrohalide salts

The structures of 4‐nitrobenzene‐1,2‐diamine [C₆H₇N₃O₂, (I)], 2‐amino‐5‐nitroanilinium chloride [C₆H₈N₃O₂⁺·Cl⁻, (II)] and 2‐amino‐5‐nitroanilinium bromide monohydrate [C₆H₈N₃O₂⁺·Br⁻·H₂O, (III)] are reported and their hydrogen‐bonded structures described. The amine group para to the nitro group in (I) adopts an approximately planar geometry, whereas the meta amine group is decidedly pyramidal. In the hydrogen halide salts (II) and (III), the amine group meta to the nitro group is protonated. Compound (I) displays a pleated‐sheet hydrogen‐bonded two‐dimensional structure with R₂²(14) and R₄⁴(20) rings. The sheets are joined by additional hydrogen bonds, resulting in a three‐dimensional extended structure. Hydrohalide salt (II) has two formula units in the asymmetric unit that are related by a pseudo‐inversion center. The dominant hydrogen‐bonding interactions involve the chloride ion and result in R₄²(8) rings linked to form a ladder‐chain structure. The chains are joined by N—H...Cl and N—H...O hydrogen bonds to form sheets parallel to (010). In hydrated hydrohalide salt (III), bromide ions are hydrogen bonded to amine and ammonium groups to form R₄²(8) rings. The water behaves as a double donor/single acceptor and, along with the bromide anions, forms hydrogen bonds involving the nitro, amine, and ammonium groups. The result is sheets parallel to (001) composed of alternating R₅⁵(15) and R₆⁴(24) rings. Ammonium N—H...Br interactions join the sheets to form a three‐dimensional extended structure. Energy‐minimized structures obtained using DFT and MP2 calculations are consistent with the solid‐state structures. Consistent with (II) and (III), calculations show that protonation of the amine group meta to the nitro group results in a structure that is about 1.5 kJ mol⁻¹ more stable than that obtained by protonation of the para‐amine group. DFT calculations on single molecules and hydrogen‐bonded pairs of molecules based on structural results obtained for (I) and for 3‐nitrobenzene‐1,2‐diamine, (IV) [Betz & Gerber (2011). Acta Cryst. E 67 , o1359] were used to estimate the strength of the N—H...O(nitro) interactions for three observed motifs. The hydrogen‐bonding interaction between the pairs of molecules examined was found to correspond to 20–30 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Facile deposition of cobalt oxide based electrocatalyst on low-cost and tin-free electrode for water splitting

Facile deposition of a water-splitting catalyst on low-cost electrode materials could be attractive for hydrogen production from water and solar energy conversion. Herein we describe fast electrodeposition of cobalt-based water oxidation catalyst(Co-WOC) on simple graphite electrode for water splitting. The deposition process is quite fast, which reaches a plateau in less than 75 min and the final current density is～1.8 mA/cm2under the applied potential of 1.31 V at pH = 7.0. The scanning electron microscopy(SEM) study shows the formation of nanometer-sized particles(10-100 nm) on the surface of the electrode after only 2 min and micrometer-sized particles(2-5 μm) after 90 min of electrolysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) data demonstrate the as-synthesized ex-situ catalyst mainly contains Co2+and Co3+species incorporating a substantial amount of phosphate anions. These experiments suggest that cost-efficient cobalt oxide materials on graphite exhibit alluring ability for water splitting, which might provide a novel method to fabricate low-cost devices for electrochemical energy storage.     

Hydrogen Bonding in Aprotic Solvents,a New Strategy for Gelation of Bioinspired Catecholic Copolymers with N‐Isopropylamide

Copolymers of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and dopamine methacrylate can establish a reversible, self‐healing 3D network in aprotic solvents based on hydrogen bonding. The reactivity and hydrogen bonding formation of catechol groups in copolymer chains are studied by UV–vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, while reversibility from sol to gel and inverse as well as self‐healing properties are tested rheologically. The produced reversible organogel can self‐encapsulate physically interacting or chemically bonded solutes such as drugs due to thermosensitivity of the used copolymer. This system offers dual‐targeted and controlled drug delivery and release—by slowing down release kinetics by supramolecular bonding of the drug and by reducing diffusion rates due to modulus increase.

     

Formation of DNA‐Copolymer Fibrils Through an Amyloid‐Like Nucleation Polymerization Mechanism

Conjugation of a hydrophobic poly(2‐oxazoline) bearing tertiary amide groups along its backbone with a short single stranded nucleotide sequence results in an amphiphilic comb/graft copolymer, which organizes in fibrils upon direct dissolution in water. Supported by circular dichroism, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scattering data, fibrils are formed through inter‐ and intramolecular hydrogen bonding between hydrogen accepting amide groups along the polymer backbone and hydrogen donating nucleic acid grafts leading to the formation of hollow tubes.

     

A Raman technique applicable for the analysis of the working principle of promoters and inhibitors of gas hydrate formation

We report a Raman technique applicable for the in situ analysis of the development of hydrogen bonds in the liquid water‐rich phase just before the onset of gas hydrate formation. Herewith, the phase transition as well as the working principle of hydrate formation inhibitors and promoters can be analyzed. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Incommensurate Phase in Λ-cobalt (III) Sepulchrate Trinitrate Governed by Highly Competitive N−H⋅⋅⋅O and C−H⋅⋅⋅O Hydrogen Bond Networks**

Phase transitions in molecular crystals are often determined by intermolecular interactions. The cage complex of [Co(C₁₂H₃₀N₈)]³⁺ ⋅ 3 NO₃⁻ is reported to undergo a disorder-order phase transition at T_c1 ≈133 K upon cooling. Temperature-dependent neutron and synchrotron diffraction experiments revealed satellite reflections in addition to main reflections in the diffraction patterns below T_c1. The modulation wave vector varies as function of temperature and locks in at T_c3≈98 K. Here, we demonstrate that the crystal symmetry lowers from hexagonal to monoclinic in the incommensurately modulated phases in T_c1<T<T_c3. Distinctive levels of competitions: trade-off between longer N−H⋅⋅⋅O and shorter C−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds; steric constraints to dense C−H⋅⋅⋅O bonds give rise to pronounced modulation of the basic structure. Severely frustrated crystal packing in the incommensurate phase is precursor to optimal balance of intermolecular interactions in the lock-in phase.