Theoretical Analysis of the Resonance Assisted Hydrogen Bond Based on the Combined Extended Transition State Method and Natural Orbitals for Chemical Valence Scheme†

Abstract

We have analyzed hydrogen bonding in a number of species, containing from two to four hydrogen bonds. The examples were chosen in such a way that they would enable us to examine three different hydrogen bonds involving OH-O, NH-O, and NH-N. A common feature of the investigated systems is that they all are expected to exhibit resonance assisted hydrogen bonding (RAHB) in the electronic pi-framework. Our analysis was based on a recently developed method that combines the extended transition state scheme with the theory of natural orbitals for chemical valence (ETS-NOCV). We find that hydrogen bonding is associated with charge rearrangement in both the electronic sigma-framework (Deltarho(sigma)) and the electronic pi-framework (Deltarho(pi)). However the stabilization due to Deltarho(sigma) is four times as important as the stabilization (RAHB) due to Deltarho(pi). Stabilization due to the electrostatic interaction (DeltaE(elstat)) between the two monomers that are brought together to form the hydrogen bonds is also important. However DeltaE(el) cannot alone account for the strength of the hydrogen bonds as it is more than compensated for by the repulsive Pauli repulsion (DeltaE(Pauli)). When N' is part of an aromatic ring, N'H-O and N'H-N bonds are similar in strength to OH-O links involving carboxylic groups. However, NH-O bonds involving amide groups (-NH(2)) are considerably weaker than the OH-O links mentioned above. In systems with different hydrogen bonds, their relative strength is determined collectively in such a way as to optimize the total interaction. This can result in that one of the bonds (OH-O, NH-O, and NH-N) becomes particularly strong or exceptionally weak. Even within the same dimer two X'-HX bonds of the same type can show quite different strength.