NHO Hydrogen Bond Research Articles

Cooperative Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding Strongly Enforces cis-Peptoid Folding.

Sequence-defined peptoids, or N-substituted glycines, are an attractive class of bioispired polymer due to their biostability and efficient synthesis. However,the de novo design of folded peptoids with precise three-dimensional structures has been hindered by limited means to deterministically control backbone conformation. Peptoid folds are generally destabilized by the cis/trans backbone-amide isomerization, and few side-chains are capable of enforcing a specific amide conformation. Here, we show that a novel class of cationic alkyl ammonium ethyl side-chains demonstrates significant enforcement of the cis-amide backbone (Kcis/trans up to 70) using an unexpected ensemble of weak intramolecular CH-O and/or NH-O hydrogen bonds between the side-chain and the backbone carbonyl moieties. These interactions are evidenced by X-ray crystallography, variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. Moreover, these side-chains are inexpensive, structurally diverse,hydrophilic, and can be integrated into longer peptoid sequences via solid-phase synthesis. Notably, we extended these concepts to synthesize a water-soluble peptoid 10-mer that adopts one predominant fold in solution, as determined by multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. This decamer, to the best of our knowledge, is the longest linear peptoid sequence atomically characterized to retain a well-folded structure. These findings fill a critical gap in peptoid folding and should propel the development of peptoid applications in a broad range of contexts, from pharmaceutical to material sciences.

Delineation of a new structural motif involving NHN γ-turn.

Macromolecules are characterized by distinctive arrangement of hydrogen bonds. Different patterns of hydrogen bonds give rise to distinct and stable structural motifs. An analysis of 4114 non-redundant protein chains reveals the existence of a three-residue, (i - 1) to (i + 1), structural motif, having two hydrogen-bonded five-membered pseudo rings (the first, an NH···OC involving the first residue, and the second being NH∙∙∙N involving the last two residues), separated by a peptide bond. There could be an additional hydrogen bond between the side-chain at (i-1) and the main-chain NH of (i + 1). The average backbone torsion angles of -76(±21)° and - 12(±17)° at i creates a tight turn in the polypeptide chain, akin to a γ-turn. Indeed, a search of three-residue fragments with restriction on the terminal Cα ···Cα distance and the existence of the two pseudo rings on either side revealed the presence 14 846 cases of a variant, termed NHN γ-turn, distinct from the NHO γ-turn (2032 cases) that has traditionally been characterized by the presence of NHO hydrogen bond linking the terminal main-chain atoms. As in the latter, the newly identified γ-turns are also of two types-classical and inverse, occurring in the ratio of 1:6. The propensities of residues to occur in these turns and their secondary structural features have been enumerated. An understanding of these turns would be useful for structure prediction and loop modeling, and may serve as models to represent some of the unfolded state or disordered region in proteins.

Microscopic mechanism of amino silicone oil modification and modification effect with different amino group contents based on molecular dynamics simulation

The microscopic mechanism of amino silicone oil (ASO) modification of natural fiber was investigated for the first time using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation at the atomic and molecular levels. The MD simulation results indicated that the ASO molecular interacted with the cellulose molecular within the natural fiber, mainly by intermolecular forces of NHO and OHN hydrogen bonds and the molecular chain of ASO absorbed onto the natural fiber in a selective orientation, i.e., the hydrophobic alkyl groups (CnH2n+1) project outward and the polar amino groups (NH2) point to the surface of natural fiber. Consequently, the ASO modification changed the surface characteristic of natural fiber from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Furthermore, the modification effects of the ASO modification layer with different amino group contents (m:n ratio) were also evaluated in this study by calculating the binding energy between the ASO modifier and natural fiber, and the cohesive energy density and free volume of the ASO modification layer. The results showed that the binding energy reached a maximum when the m:n ratio of ASO was of 8:4, suggesting that a good bonding strength was achieved at this m:n ratio. It was also found that the cohesive energy density enhanced with the increase in the amino group content, and the higher the cohesive energy density, the easier the formation of the ASO modification layer. However, the fraction free volume decreased with the increase in the amino group content. This is good for improving the water-proof property of natural fiber. The present work can provide an effective method for predicting the modification effects and designing the optimized m:n ratio of ASO modification.

A network approach to unravel correlated ion pair dynamics in protic ionic liquids. The case of triethylammonium nitrate

The intermolecular interactions in the title compound are investigated using self-consistent charge density functional based tight binding molecular dynamics. Emphasis is put on the analysis of correlated motions of ion pairs using ideas of network theory. At equilibrium such correlations are not very pronounced on average. However, there exist sizable local correlations for cases where two cations share the same anion via two NHO-hydrogen bonds. The effect of an external perturbation, which artificially introduces a sudden local heating of an NH-bond, is investigated using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. Here, it is found that the average NH bond vibrational relaxation time is about 5.3ps. This energy redistribution is rather nonspecific with respect to the ion pairs and does not lead to long-range correlations spreading from the initially excited ion pair.

Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Study of Proton and Deuteron Migration in Short Strong Hydrogen Bonds Formed in Molecular Complex 3,5-Dinitrobenzoic Acid–Nicotinic Acid and in Deuterated 3,5-Pyridinedicarboxylic Acid

Temperature dependences of the 14N nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) frequencies have been measured in molecular complex 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid–nicotinic acid (35DBNA) and in deuterated 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (DPDA). In deuterated DPDA, the temperature dependences of the deuterium quadrupole coupling constants and asymmetry parameters η have also been measured. In 35DBNA, the magnitude of the quadrupole coupling constant of the pyridine nitrogen agrees with the experimentally observed proton transfer. No proton exchange (O–H···N ↔ O–···H–N+) is observed. The temperature dependence of the 14N quadrupole coupling constant is analyzed in a model of a resonance hybrid of two extreme electron configurations of the molecules. The energy difference of the two extreme electron configurations is determined. In the same model, we analyzed previously published 14N NQR data of the NHO hydrogen bond in nondeuterated 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid. The 14N NQR data in DPDA show the presence of a quasi-continuou...

Benchmark binding energies of ammonium and alkyl-ammonium ions interacting with water. Are ammonium–water hydrogen bonds strong?

Alkyl-ammonium ion/water interactions are investigated using high level quantum computations, yielding thermodynamics data in good agreement with gas-phase experiments. Alkylation and hydration lead to weaken the NHO hydrogen bonds. Upon complete hydration by four water molecules, their main features are close to those of the OHO bond in the isolated water dimer. Energy decomposition analyses indicate that hydration of alkyl-ammonium ions are mainly due to electrostatic/polarization effects, as for hard monoatomic cations, but with a larger effect of dispersion.

X-ray crystal structure of N-benzyl-2-(4,6-diaminopyrimidin-2-ylthio)-acetamide

N-benzyl-2-(4,6-diaminopyrimidin-2-ylthio)-acetamide, was synthesized by the reaction of 4,6-diamino-pyrimidine-2-thiol with 2-chloro-N-benzyl acetamide in the presence of potassium hydroxide under reflux conditions and crystallized. X-ray diffraction intensity data were collected at room temperature (293k) on a Bruker axs SMART APEXII single crystal X-ray diffractometer equipped with graphite monochromatic Mo K? (?=0.71073 radiation and CCD detector. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic P21/n space group with four molecules in the unit cell (a=8.5657(5) b=9.3203(5) c=18.2134(10) ?=90, ?=91.540(4) , ?=90 and Z=4). The three dimensional molecular structure of this compound was determined by X-ray crystallography using SHELXS97 and later refined by SHELXL97 to a final R-value 4.3%. In the crystal, the molecular structure is stabilized by intramolecular NH...S, CH...N and CH...O hydrogen bonds and the packing is stabilized by intermolecular NH...N and NHO hydrogen bonds.

NMR Structural Study of the Prototropic Equilibrium in Solution of Schiff Bases as Model Compounds

An NMR titration method has been used to simultaneously measure the acid dissociation constant (pKa) and the intramolecular NHO prototropic constant ΔKNHO on a set of Schiff bases. The model compounds were synthesized from benzylamine and substituted ortho-hydroxyaldehydes, appropriately substituted with electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups to modulate the acidity of the intramolecular NHO hydrogen bond. The structure in solution was established by 1H-, 13C- and 15N-NMR spectroscopy. The physicochemical parameters of the intramolecular NHO hydrogen bond (pKa, ΔKNHO and ΔΔG°) were obtained from 1H-NMR titration data and pH measurements. The Henderson–Hasselbalch data analysis indicated that the systems are weakly acidic, and the predominant NHO equilibrium was established using Polster–Lachmann δ-diagram analysis and Perrin model data linearization.

Structural and energetic properties of the potential HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors d4A and d4G: a comprehensive theoretical investigation

A comprehensive quantum-chemical investigation of the conformational landscapes of two nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine (d4A), and 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxyguanosine (d4G), has been performed at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. It was found that d4A can adopt 21 conformers within a 5.17 kcal/mol Gibbs free energy range, whereas d4G has 20 conformers within 6.23 kcal/mol at T = 298.15 K. Both nucleosides are shaped by a sophisticated network of specific noncovalent interactions, including conventional (OHO, NHO) and weak (CHO, CHN) hydrogen bonds, as well as dihydrogen (CHHC) contacts. For the OHO, NHO, and CHO hydrogen bonds, natural bond orbital analysis revealed hyperconjugative interactions between the oxygen lone pairs and the antibonding orbital of the donor group. For the CHHC contacts, the electron density migrates from the antibonding orbital, corresponding to the CH group of the sugar residue, to the bonding orbital relative to the same group in the nucleobase. The results confirm the current belief that the biological activity of d4A and d4G is connected with the termination of the DNA chain synthesis in the 5′–3′ direction. Thus, these nucleosides act as competitive HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Structure and dynamics studies of the short strong hydrogen bond in the 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid–nicotinic acid molecular complex

The molecular complex between 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid and nicotinic acid (35DBNA) has been studied by variable temperature single crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction (30 to 300 K) and ab initio molecular dynamics, in order to investigate the dynamics and any proton migration in this system, which exhibits structural similarities with the well-known proton migration material 3,5-dicarboxylic acid. The refined structures clearly indicate a significant degree of proton transfer in the short NHO hydrogen bond, contrary to the previous description of 35DBNA as an organic adduct without proton transfer. This behaviour is consistent with the difference between the pKa values of 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid and the ring nitrogen atom in nicotinic acid. Complementary ab initio MD simulations at 400 K show the key proton hopping across the NHO short hydrogen bond, spending short periods along the trajectory (8% of the simulation time) bonded to the O atom. Similar simulations performed on 3,5-dicarboxylic acid and 3,4-dicarboxylic acid show that the MD calculations correlate well with the experimental observations (or absence) of proton migration, and therefore suggest that they could be used as a predictive tool for investigating this phenomenon in short strong hydrogen bonds.

Crystal and Vibrational Analysis of a Novel Alcohol Derivate from Chlorthalidone: Ethyl-Chlorthalidone

The crystal structure of the novel alcohol deri- vate from chlorthalidone, ethyl-chlorthalidone (2-chloro-5- (1-ethyl-3-oxo-1-isoindolinyl)benzenesulfonamide hydrated), C16H15ClN2O4S.H2O, was determined by X-ray diffraction at 295 K. This molecule crystallized in an orthorhombic space group Pca21 with a = 7.928(2) A ˚ ,b = 10.920(2) A ˚ , c = 19.459(4) A ˚ , a = b = c = 90. This compound is stabilized by intra and intermolecular NHO and OHO hydrogen bonds. These interactions which involve water molecules of the network give rise to a two-dimensional (2-D) array parallel to the (110) direction. The three- dimensional design of the compound is observed through weak NH��� O hydrogen bonds (N2-H2A��� O4). The NMR study was a complementary tool for crystal characterization. The spectra analysis clearly shows that signs of ethyl group atoms appear in strong field whereas the others atoms were identified in weak magnetic field (above of 140 ppm). The vibrational spectra present bands in the region of 2890-2940 cm -1 which can be assigned as symmetric and asymmetric modes of CH2 and CH3 groups. These results are in agreement with the crystal data which indicate the pres- ence of ethyl group in this molecule.

Effects of hydration on the acid–base interactions and secondary structures of poly-l-lysine probed by 15N and 13C solid state NMR

Using high resolution solid state (15)N and (13)C NMR spectroscopy we have studied the effects of successive hydration on the (15)N labeled side chain amino groups of solid poly-L-lysine (PLL) in the presence of acids. Generally, hydration leads to the formation of local "ionic fluid" phases composed by flexible side chain ammonium groups, acid anions and small amounts of water. The associated local dynamics reduces the widths of the inhomogeneously broadened (15)N amino signals found for the dry states. The hydration of free base PLL--which consists of mixtures of alpha-helices and beta-pleated sheets--is monitored by a small low-field shift of the amino group signal arising from hydrogen bonding with water, reaching eventually the value of PLL in water at pH 13. No difference for the two conformations is observed. PLL x HF adopts a similar secondary structure with isolated NHF hydrogen bonds; hydration leads only to small low-field shifts which are nevertheless compatible with the formation of ammonium groups in aqueous solution. PLL doped with small amounts of HCl contains ammonium groups which are internally solvated by neighboring free amino groups. Both nitrogen environments are characterized by different chemical shifts. Hydration with less than one water molecule per amino group leads already to a chemical shift averaging arising from fast proton motions along NHN-hydrogen bonds and fast side chain and anion motions.By contrast, the hydration of fully doped PLL x HBr and PLL x HCl is more complex. These systems exist only in beta-pleated sheet conformations forming alkyl ammonium salt structures. Separate (15)N signal components are observed for (i) the dry states, for (ii) wet beta-pleated sheets and for (iii) wet alpha-helices which are successively formed upon hydration. Exchange between these environments is slow, but water motions lead to averaged amino group signals within each of the two wet environments. These results indicate that the different environments form domains. As the replacement of NHBr or of NHCl hydrogen bonds by NHO hydrogen bonds leads to high-field shifts the observation of separated signals is the result of different water content in the three domains. In agreement with previous X-ray powder diffraction studies we observe a dominance of the alpha-helical regions at above 3 water molecules per amino group in the case of PLL x HBr and at about 5 water molecules in the case of PLL x HCl, an effect arising from the limited space between beta-pleated sheets and the larger volume of bromide as compared to chloride.

Chirality-dependent hydrogen bond direction in jet-cooled (S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-isoquinoline methanol (THIQM): IR-ion dip vibrational spectroscopy of the neutral and the ion

The structural modifications of (S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-isoquinoline methanol (THIQM) upon ionisation have been investigated in jet-cooled conditions, by means of laser-induced fluorescence, REMPI, and IR-UV ion-dip spectroscopy of the neutral ground state and the ion. These results combined with ab initio calculations, support the presence in the jet of two low-energy conformers of THIQM. In the most stable Conformer I, the CH(2)OH substituent acts as a hydrogen bond donor to the nitrogen lone pair in the equatorial position. In this case, the nitrogen atom is in (S) configuration. Conformer II shows the opposite NHO hydrogen bond from the hydrogen atom in the equatorial position of nitrogen to the OH group. In this case, the nitrogen atom is in (R) configuration. This chirality dependence of the hydrogen bond direction is lost upon ionisation. While ionisation of Conformer II reinforces the NHO hydrogen bond, ionisation of Conformer I induces its isomerisation to the same ion as Conformer II, i.e. a change in hydrogen bond direction.

Structural role of hydrogen bond networks in amino acid–acid systems. (I) The network with highly polarizable OHO hydrogen bonds in sarcosine–methanesulfonic acid (2:1) crystal

The sarcosine–methanesulfonic acid (2:1) crystal was selected for examination of two problems: relations between different components of the amino acid–acid hydrogen bond network and a role of very strong and highly polarizable OHO hydrogen bond in the main structural units of the crystal: sarcosinium– sarcosine dimers (complexes). Our observations are based on phase transitions of the crystal monitored by DSC, X-ray diffraction and temperature evolutions of selected bands of IR spectra. Our experimental and DFT results provide information on the potential energy profile of the OHO proton and its evolution with temperature. The O⋯O distance of the primary hydrogen bond remains almost unchanged and its proton is strongly delocalized and sensitive on neighbour NHO hydrogen bond. We propose a possible mechanism of the phase transitions and coupling between νC O vibrations of the carboxyl group and moving of the proton in neighbour OHO hydrogen bridge.

Contribution of the intramolecular hydrogen bond to the shift of the pKa value and the oxidation potential of phenols and phenolate anions

Intramolecularly OHO[double bond, length as m-dash]C hydrogen bonded phenols, 2-HO-C6H2-3,5-(t-Bu)2-CONH-t-Bu (1-OH), 2-HO-C6H2-5-t-Bu-1,3-(CONH-t-Bu)2 (2-OH) and 2-HO-C6H2-3,5-(t-Bu)2-NHCO-t-Bu (4-OH), were synthesized and their phenolate anions were prepared as tetraethylammonium salts (-1O-(NEt4+), 2-O-(NEt4+) and 4-O-(NEt4+)) with intramolecular NHO(oxyanion) hydrogen bonds. 4-HO-C(6)H(2)-3,5-t-Bu(2)-CONH-t-Bu (3-OH) and its phenolate anion, 3-O-(NEt4+), were synthesized as non-hydrogen bonded references. The presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds was established through the crystallographic analysis and/or (1)H NMR spectroscopic results. Intramolecular NHO(phenol) hydrogen bonds shift the pK(a) of the phenol to a more acidic value. The results of cyclic voltammetry show that the intramolecular OH...O=C hydrogen bond negatively shifts the oxidation potential of the phenol. In contrast, the intramolecular NHO(oxyanion) hydrogen bond positively shifts the oxidation potential of the phenolate anion, preventing oxidation. These contributions of the hydrogen bond to the pKa value and the oxidation potentials probably play an important role in the formation of a tyrosyl radical in photosystem II.

Formation of 6-, 7- or 8-membered ring intra-side-chain NH[rad]O hydrogen bond toward Ca-binding oxyanion in poly(allylaminocarboxylate) ligands stabilizes CaCO3 vaterite crystals

Novel poly(allylaminocarboxylate) ligands, which have a carboxylate and the neighboring amide group in the same side-chain, were synthesized as model ligands for crystalline CaCO3 biominerals. Poly{N-allyl-malonamate}, poly{N-allyl-succinamate} and poly{4-allylcarbamoyl-butyrate} form 6-, 7- or 8-membered ring intra-side-chain NHO hydrogen bonds, respectively, between the carboxylate and the neighboring amide NH in the carboxylate anion state, although the formation of each intra-side-chain NHO hydrogen bond is independent on the stereoisomers of the polymer main-chain. In the polymer ligand–CaCO3 composites, strong binding of polymer ligands to CaCO3 crystals is caused by stabilizing a Ca–O (carboxylate) bond due to the pKa shift of carboxylic acid by the NHO hydrogen bond. Furthermore, the strong Ca binding in CaCO3 composites stabilizes the meta-stable morphology of CaCO3 vaterite crystals.

Pyridine-15N A Mobile NMR Sensor for Surface Acidity and Surface Defects of Mesoporous Silica

The hydrogen bond interaction of pyridine with the silanol groups of the inner surfaces of MCM-41 and SBA-15 ordered mesoporous silica has been studied by a combination of solid-state NMR techniques. The pore diameters were varied between 3 and 4 nm for MCM-41 and between 7 and 9 nm for SBA-15. 1 H MAS experiments performed under magic angle spinning (MAS) conditions in the absence and the presence of pyridine-d 5 reveal that the large majority of silanol groups are located in the inner surfaces, isolated from each other but able to form hydrogen bonds with pyridine. On the other hand, low- and room-temperature 1 5 N CPMAS and MAS experiments (CP ≡ cross-polarization) performed on pyridine- 1 5 N show that at low concentrations all pyridine molecules are involved in hydrogen bonds with the surface silanol groups. In the presence of an excess of pyridine, a non-hydrogen-bonded pyridine phase is observed at 120 K in the slow hydrogen bond exchange regime and associates with an inner core phase. From these measurements, the number of pyridine molecules bound to the inner surfaces corresponding to the number of silanol groups could be determined to be n O H 3 nm - 2 for MCM-41 and 3.7 nm - 2 for SBA-15. At room temperature and low concentrations, the pyridine molecules jump rapidly between the hydrogen-bonded sites. In the presence of an excess of pyridine, the hydrogen-bonded binding sites are depleted as compared to low temperatures, leading to smaller apparent numbers n O H . Using a correlation established previously between the 1 5 N and 1 H chemical shifts and the NHO hydrogen bond geometries, as well as with the acidity of the proton donors, the distances in the pyridine-hydroxyl pairs were found to be about r H N = 1.68 A, r O H = 1.01 A, and r O N = 2.69 A. This geometry corresponds in the organic solid state to acids exhibiting in water a pK a of about 4. Roomtemperature 1 5 N experiments on static samples of pyridine- 1 5 N in MCM-41 at low coverage show a residual 1 5 N chemical shift anisotropy, indicating that the jumps of pyridine between different different silanol hydrogen bond sites is accompanied by an anisotropic reorientational diffusion. A quantitative analysis reveals that in this regime the rotation of pyridine around the molecular C 2 axis is suppressed even at room temperature, and that the angle between the Si-O axes and the OH axes of the isolated silanol groups is about 47°. These results are corroborated by 2 H NMR experiments performed on pyridine-4-d 1 . In contrast, in the case of SBA-15 with the larger pore diameters, the hydrogen bond jumps of pyridine are associated with an isotropic rotational diffusion, indicating a high degree of roughness of the inner surfaces. This finding is correlated with the finding by 2 9 Si CPMAS of a substantial amount of Si(OH) 2 groups in SBA-15. in contrast to the MCM-41 materials. The Si(OH) 2 groups are associated with surface defects, exhibiting not only silanol groups pointing into the pore center but also silanol groups pointing into other directions of space including the pore axes, leading to the isotropic surface diffusion. All results are used to develop molecular models for the inner surface structure of mesoporous silica which may be a basis for future simulations of the surfaces of mesoporous silica.

Zigzag-Chain, Cyclic-Octanuclear Calcium- and Hexanuclear Sodium Phosphate Complexes with Bulky Amide Ligands Involving a Network of Inter- and Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonds

Novel zigzag-chain, cyclic-octanuclear Ca- and hexanuclear Na-phosphate complexes were synthesized using bulky amide aryl dihydrogen phosphate ligands. The metal complexes with bulky amides have a unique unsymmetric ligand position. The zigzag-chain structure transformed into a cyclic-octanuclear one in cooperating with the coordination of DMF molecule and reorganization of the intermolecular/intramolecular hydrogen bond networks. biomineral calcium phosphate complex NHO hydrogen bonds polynuclear complex structural transformation

15N-pyridine—a mobile NMR sensor for surface acidity and surface defects of mesoporous silica

experiments performed under magic angle spinning (MAS) conditions in the absence and the presence of pyridine-d5 reveal that the large majority of silanol groups are located in the inner surfaces, isolated from each other but able to form hydrogen bonds with pyridine. On the other hand, low- and room-temperature 15 N CPMAS and MAS experiments (CP cross-polarization) performed on pyridine- 15 N show that at low concentrations all pyridine molecules are involved in hydrogen bonds with the surface silanol groups. In the presence of an excess of pyridine, a non-hydrogen-bonded pyridine phase is observed at 120 K in the slow hydrogen bond exchange regime and associates with an inner core phase. From these measurements, the number of pyridine molecules bound to the inner surfaces corresponding to the number of silanol groups could be determined to be nOH 3n m -2 for MCM-41 and 3.7 nm -2 for SBA-15. At room temperature and low concentrations, the pyridine molecules jump rapidly between the hydrogen-bonded sites. In the presence of an excess of pyridine, the hydrogen-bonded binding sites are depleted as compared to low temperatures, leading to smaller apparent numbers nOH. Using a correlation established previously between the 15 N and 1 H chemical shifts and the NHO hydrogen bond geometries, as well as with the acidity of the proton donors, the distances in the pyridine-hydroxyl pairs were found to be about rHN ) 1.68 A,rOH ) 1.01 A, andrON ) 2.69 A. This geometry corresponds in the organic solid state to acids exhibiting in water a pKa of about 4. Roomtemperature 15 N experiments on static samples of pyridine- 15 N in MCM-41 at low coverage show a residual 15 N chemical shift anisotropy, indicating that the jumps of pyridine between different different silanol hydrogen bond sites is accompanied by an anisotropic reorientational diffusion. A quantitative analysis reveals that in this regime the rotation of pyridine around the molecular C2 axis is suppressed even at room temperature, and that the angle between the Si-O axes and the OH axes of the isolated silanol groups is about 47°. These results are corroborated by 2 H NMR experiments performed on pyridine-4-d1. In contrast, in the case of SBA-15 with the larger pore diameters, the hydrogen bond jumps of pyridine are associated with an isotropic rotational diffusion, indicating a high degree of roughness of the inner surfaces. This finding is correlated with the finding by 29 Si CPMAS of a substantial amount of Si(OH)2 groups in SBA-15, in contrast to the MCM-41 materials. The Si(OH)2 groups are associated with surface defects, exhibiting not only silanol groups pointing into the pore center but also silanol groups pointing into other directions of space including the pore axes, leading to the isotropic surface diffusion. All results are used to develop molecular models for the inner surface structure of mesoporous silica which may be a basis for future simulations of the surfaces of mesoporous silica.

Crystal structure of 2-amino-3-methylpyridinium ortho-phthalate

A new crystal of 2-amino-3-methylpyridinium ortho-phthalate has been prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The salt crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 11.015(2) A, b = 11.057(2) A, c = 15.767(2) A, α = 90.00°, β = 96.220(10)°, γ = 90.00°, V = 1909.0(5) A3, Z = 4. In the cell unit, the phthalate anion is linked with two pyridinium cations by NHO hydrogen bond on both sites of annular and exocyclic nitrogen atoms. The two pyridinium cations are arranged in a face-to-face pattern with a dihedral angle of 7.3° and a shortest aspectant distance of 3.4(1) A between them, indicating the existence of π–π interaction. The C(5) atom is an electron donating center. The exocyclic N atom is an electron receiving center, which is consistent with features of imino resonance evidenced by bond lengths and angles. In the cell unit, two entities of pyridinium cation are aligned with each other in a face-to-face manner of electron receiving to donating center.