Hydrogen bonding: Part 18. The nature of the OHF hydrogen bond in choline fluoride

The infrared spectrum of the OHF hydrogen bond in choline fluoride is completely different from the spectra of the electrostatic O—H?X hydrogen bonds in the other choline halides; however, this spectrum cannot be accounted for in terms of a “very strong” covalent OHF bond such as those found in carboxylic acid—fluoride ion complexes or postulated for betaine hydrofluoride. The spectrum of choline fluoride is interpreted best in terms of an intermediate type of unsymmetrical hydrogen bond (r° O?F = ～ 256 pm) which shows strong intensity enhancement for the first overtone of the OHF bending vibration.