Resonance-assisted H-bond Research Articles

A Critical Check for the Role of Resonance in Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding.

Although resonance-assisted H-bonds (RAHBs) are well recognized, the role of π resonance in RAHBs is controversial, as the seemingly enhanced H-bonds in unsaturated compounds may result from the constraints imposed by the σ skeleton. Herein the block-localized wave function (BLW) method, which can derive optimal yet resonance-quenched structures with related physiochemical properties, was employed to examine the correlation between π resonance and the strength of intramolecular RAHBs. Examination of a series of paradigmatic molecules with RAHBs and their saturated analogues showed that it is inappropriate to compare a conjugated system with its saturated counterpart, as they may have quite different σ frameworks. Nevertheless, comparison between a conjugated system and its resonance-quenched (i.e., electron-localized) state, which have identical σ skeletons, shows that in all studied cases, π resonance unanimously reduces the bonding distance by 0.111-0.477 Å, strengthens the bonding by 40-56 %, and redshifts the D-H vibrational frequency by 104-628 cm-1 . Furthermore, there is an excellent correlation between hydrogen-bonding strength and the classical Coulomb attraction between the hydrogen-bond donor and the acceptor, which suggests that the dominant role of the electrostatic interaction in H-bonds and RAHBs originates from the charge flow from H-bond donors to acceptors through π conjugation.

Pseudo-cyclic structures of mono- and di-azaderivatives of malondialdehydes. Synthesis and conformational disentanglement by computational analyses.

Mono- and diaza-derivatives of malondialdehydes, namely 3-alkyl(aryl)amino-2-arylacroleins and 1,5-dialkyl(aryl)-3-arylvinamidines are open-chain systems in which extended electron delocalization and pseudoaromaticity can be envisaged. A set of diversely functionalized compounds has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic data and X-ray diffractometry. Quantum-chemical calculations were performed for all possible neutral tautomers and conformers in the gas phase and compared to those in polar solvents (CHCl3, DMSO, and EtOH) at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level. Tautomeric equilibria and conformational preferences can be rationalized in terms of structural factors, which can be roughly estimated as summation or subtractions of intramolecular interactions. As expected, a key role is played by intramolecular hydrogen bonds whose strength varies from the gas phase to polar ethanol. This issue also delves into the concept of resonance-assisted H-bond, where the donor and acceptor atoms are connected by a π-conjugated system. The most stable conformers (structures a and c) possess a high degree of pseudoaromaticity as inferred from HOMA indexes and other delocalization parameters.

Quantum chemical exploration of the intramolecular hydrogen bond interaction in 2-thiazol-2-yl-phenol and 2-benzothiazol-2-yl-phenol in the context of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer: A focus on the covalency in hydrogen bond

The present work demonstrates a computational exploration of the intramolecular H-bond (IMHB) interaction in two model heterocyclic compounds – 2-thiazol-2-yl-phenol (2T2YP) and 2-benzothiazol-2-yl-phenol (2B2YP) by meticulous application of various quantum chemical tools. Major emphasis is rendered on the analysis of IMHB interaction by calculation of electron density ρ(r) and Laplacian ∇2ρ(r) at the bond critical point using the Atoms-In-Molecule methodology. Topological features based on ρ(r) suggest that at equilibrium geometry the IMHB interaction develops certain characteristics typical of a covalent interaction. The interplay between aromaticity and Resonance-Assisted H-Bond (RAHB) has also been discussed using both geometrical and magnetic criteria. The occurrence of IMHB interaction in 2T2YP and 2B2YP has also been criticized under the provision of the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. The ESIPT phenomenon in the molecular systems is also critically addressed on the lexicon of potential energy surface (PES) analysis.

Supramolecular aromaticity

We report experimental and theoretical evidences for supramolecular aromaticity as a new concept to be widely used in researches about molecular crystals. CSD survey regarding frequently encountered resonance-assisted H-bonds (RAHBs) in formic acid, formamide, formimidamide, formic acid–formamide, and formamide–formimidamide dimers shows that supramolecular quasirings formed by RAHBs have remarkable electronic delocalization within themselves, which is reminiscent of aromaticity at supramolecular level. This study criticizes and reevaluates the validity of conventional judgment which states that ring systems formed by intermolecular H-bonds cannot be aromatic. Thus, the term aromaticity can be extended to supramolecular systems formed by RAHBs. Supramolecular aromaticity has a multi-fold nature involving both σ- and π-delocalization, and σ-delocalization through RAHBs takes on a task of compensating σ-deficiency within quasirings. Atomic composition in donor–acceptor set of the dimers is descriptive for supramolecular aromaticity. We revised bond-valence parameters for RAHBs and they suggest that hypervalent character of H atoms is more pronounced than their hypovalent character in RAHBs. The σ-delocalized bonding within H-bonded quasirings necessitates hypervalent character of H atoms. Quantum chemical calculations based on adiabatic Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT) between the monomers reveal that topological parameters at ring critical points (RCPs) of the quasirings correlate well with Shannon’s entropic aromaticity index. The presence of additional LP orbital on O atoms implying more diffused LP-orbitals in donor–acceptor set leads to the formation of resonance-disabling states reducing supramolecular aromaticity of a quasiring and energetic cost of the electron transfer between the monomers. There is a nonignorable electron transfer between the monomers even in the cases where H atoms are close to donor or acceptor atom. NBO analyses have revealed that formally vacant LP* orbitals on H-atoms in TS geometries mediate intermolecular electron transfer as a result of the hyperconjugative stereoelectronic interactions.

Substituent R-Effects on Intermolecular Resonance-Assisted Hydrogen (H) Bonds: Theoretical Analysis of Double H-Bonded Dimers of Carboxylic Acids

Abstract Substituent dependence of geometries and binding energies calculated for a number of carboxylic acid dimers with R-substituents using 2nd-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory and Gaussian 4 level quantum mechanical method, is analyzed to characterize intrinsic substituent effects. Charge distribution and charge-transfer interaction of reaction centers are examined to evaluate π-electron delocalization and individual H-bond structures using natural bond orbital analysis. For (RCOOH)2 homodimers, parametric substituent-treatment by Taft and Topsom revealed that π-donor substitution increases the π-electron delocalization of conjugated C=O/C–O frames of carboxylic acids and cooperatively stabilizes the equivalent H-bonds depending on the potentiality |σR+| of π-resonance effect, i.e., substituent-enhanced RAHBs (resonance-assisted H-bonds). In contrast, π-accepting substituents are found actually inactive in these electron deficient C=O/C–O fields yielding the minimum available RAHBs similar to the reference (HCOOH)2. In (R1–COOH)(R2–COOH) heterodimers, the π-accepting substituent can only be activated under the presence of π-donor potentiality from the counter molecule, generating a cooperative substituent push–pull interaction through the corresponding H-bond. Out of two H-bonds generated, one is significantly strengthened while the other being quenched due to the substituent effects in the opposite direction. The intermolecular electron push–pull interaction is quantitatively interpreted in terms of the charge-transfer of each H-bond influenced by the π-resonance substituent effects.

A turn on ESIPT probe for rapid and ratiometric fluorogenic detection of homocysteine and cysteine in water with live cell-imaging

5(Benzothiazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyisophthalaldehyde (BHI), an intense ESIPT containing molecule in mixed media loses its properties due to resonance-assisted H-bond (RAHB) in absolute water. Due to resonance-assisted H-bond the o-aldehyde is more reactive than the other one. With addition of cysteine/homocysteine into this solution the o-aldehyde group gets transformed into thiazolidine/thiazine ring, respectively, and the phenolic proton becomes free enough for transfer to nitrogen of the benzothiazole ring in excited state, that is, the ESIPT of BHI is turned on. Thus we can detect cysteine/homocysteine in water as well as in live cells.

Resonance-assisted hydrogen bonding in terms of substituent effect

A quantitative description of resonance-assisted H-bond in terms of σ-scale of substituent effect for proton-donating and proton-accepting groups is presented. Application of the proposed approach to malonaldehyde and ortho-hydroxybenzaldehyde shows that formation of H-bonding significantly changes the electronic properties of interacting groups expressed by σ-values, which furthermore explains the increase of π-electron delocalization in such RAHB systems. The presented analyses are based on quantum-chemical modelling at B3LYP/6-311+G ∗∗ level.

Predicting Hydrogen-Bond Strengths from Acid−Base Molecular Properties. The pKa Slide Rule: Toward the Solution of a Long-Lasting Problem

Unlike normal chemical bonds, hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) characteristically feature binding energies and contact distances that do not simply depend on the donor (D) and acceptor (:A) nature. Instead, their chemical context can lead to large variations even for a same donor-acceptor couple. As a striking example, the weak HO-H...OH(2) bond in neutral water changes, in acidic or basic medium, to the 6-fold stronger and 15% shorter [H(2)O...H...OH(2)](+) or [HO...H...OH](-) bonds. This surprising behavior, sometimes called the H-bond puzzle, practically prevents prediction of H-bond strengths from the properties of the interacting molecules. Explaining this puzzle has been the main research interest of our laboratory in the last 20 years. Our first contribution was the proposal of RAHB (resonance-assisted H-bond), a new type of strong H-bond where donor and acceptor are linked by a short pi-conjugated fragment. The RAHB discovery prompted new studies on strong H-bonds, finally leading to a general H-bond classification in six classes, called the six chemical leitmotifs, four of which include all known types of strong bonds. These studies attested to the covalent nature of the strong H-bond showing, by a formal valence-bond treatment, that weak H-bonds are basically electrostatic while stronger ones are mixtures of electrostatic and covalent contributions. The covalent component gradually increases as the difference of donor-acceptor proton affinities, DeltaPA, or acidic constants, DeltapK(a), approaches zero. At this limit, the strong and symmetrical D...H...A bonds formed can be viewed as true three-center-four-electron covalent bonds. These results emphasize the role PA/pK(a) equalization plays in strengthening the H-bond, a hypothesis often invoked in the past but never fully verified. In this Account, this hypothesis is reconsidered by using a new instrument, the pK(a) slide rule, a bar chart that reports in separate scales the pK(a)'s of the D-H proton donors and :A proton acceptors most frequently involved in D-H...:A bond formation. Allowing the two scales to shift so to bring selected donor and acceptor molecules into coincidence, the ruler permits graphical evaluation of DeltapK(a) and then empirical appreciation of the D-H...:A bond strength according to the pK(a) equalization principle. Reliability of pK(a) slide rule predictions has been verified by extensive comparison with two classical sources of H-bond strengths: (i) the gas-phase dissociation enthalpies of charged [X...H...X](-) and [X...H...X](+) bonds derived from the thermodynamic NIST Database and (ii) the geometries of more than 9500 H-bonds retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database. The results attest that the pK(a) slide rule provides a reliable solution for the long-standing problem of H-bond-strength prediction and represents an efficient and practical tool for making such predictions directly accessible to all scientists.

PA/p Ka equalization and the prediction of the hydrogen-bond strength: A synergism of classical thermodynamics and structural crystallography

The PA/p K a equalization principle, that is the idea that H-bond strengths can be rationalized in terms of matching between acid–base properties of the H-bond donor and acceptor moieties, is more than forty years old but has never been verified in its generality for lack of suitable data. Its definitive verification has now become possible, at least in principle, because of the availability of ever more extended compilations of thermodynamic acid–base indicators (proton affinities, PAs, in the gas phase and p K a(H 2O)s in aqueous solutions) and of two readily accessible and comprehensive sources of H-bond strengths (the NIST database, reporting gas-phase dissociation energies of hundreds of H-bonded complexes, and the Cambridge Structural Database, CSD, including the crystal structures and H-bond geometries of thousands of chemical compounds). The combination of two acid–base indicators (PA and p K a) with two datasets (gas-phase energies and solid-state geometries) provides four types of possible correlations between H-bond strengths and donor–acceptor acid–base properties, each one potentially leading to the full assessment of the equalization principle for the complete set of known H-bonds. This does not occur in practice and it is shown in the text that a number of constraints of both physical and thermodynamic nature arise which severely limit the application of each type of correlation to partial subsets (classes) of H-bonds and, sometimes, to none. The main practical consequences are that; (i) resonance-assisted H-bonds (RAHBs) cannot be interpreted by means of any acid–base indicator; (ii) gas-phase dissociation enthalpies can be used for the H-bonds which are charged associations of two acids, [A⋯H⋯A′] −, or two bases, [B⋯H⋯B′] +, but not for those which are acid–base associations, A H⋯B, and constitute the class by far most numerous of H-bonds; and (iii) only the correlation between H-bond strengths deriving from crystal geometries and Δp K as, the p K a differences between H-bond donor and acceptor groups, can deal with these three classes of bonds at the same time and has, therefore, the chance to become the method of election for a quick and reasonably accurate prediction of H-bond strengths based on thermodynamic acid–base indicators.

Outline of a transition-state hydrogen-bond theory

Though the H-bond is well characterized as a D–H⋯:A three-center-four-electron interaction, the formulation of a general H-bond theory has turned out to be a rather formidable problem because of the extreme variability of the bonds formed (for instance, O–H⋯O energies range from 0.1 to 31 kcal mol −1). This paper surveys our previous contributions to the problem, including: (a) the H-bond chemical leitmotifs (CLs), showing that there are only four classes of strong H-bonds and one of moderately strong ones; (b) the PA/pK a equalization principle , showing that the four CLs forming strong H-bonds are actually molecular devices apt to equalize the acid–base properties (PA or p K a) of the H-bond donor and acceptor groups; (c) the driving variable of the H-bond strength, which remains so identified as the difference Δp K a=p K AH(D–H)−p K BH(A–H +) or, alternatively, ΔPA=PA(D −)−PA(A); and, in particular, (d) the transition-state H-bond theory (TSHBT), which interprets the H-bond as a stationary point along the complete proton transfer pathway going from D–H⋯A to D⋯H–A via the D⋯H⋯A transition state. TSHBT is verified in connection with a series of seven 1-(X-phenylazo)-2-naphthols, a class of compounds forming a strong intramolecular resonance-assisted H-bond (RAHB), which is switched from N–H⋯O to N⋯H–O by the decreasing electron-withdrawing properties of the substituent X. The system is studied in terms of: (i) variable-temperature X-ray crystallography; (ii) DFT emulation of stationary points and full PT pathways; (iii) Marcus rate-equilibrium analysis correlated with substituent LFER Hammett parameters.

Enantioselective Recognition of 1,2-Amino Alcohols by Reversible Formation of Imines with Resonance-Assisted Hydrogen Bonds

A chiral aldehyde with three H-bond donating groups (2) has been synthesized. This aldehyde binds a variety of chiral 1,2-amino alcohols in benzene with the same sense of stereoselectivity. Computational and experimental data indicate that one imine bond, one resonance-assisted H-bond to the imine nitrogen, and two H-bonds to the alcoholic oxygen all play an important role in the stereoselective recognition. [structure: see text]

Variable-Temperature X-ray Crystallographic and DFT Computational Study of the NH···O/N···HO Tautomeric Competition in 1-(Arylazo)-2-naphthols. Outline of a Transiton-State Hydrogen-Bond Theory

Phenyl-substituted 1-arylazo-2-naphthols (AAN) display ...HN-N=C-C=O... <==>...N=N-C=C-OH... ketohydrazone-azoenol tautomerism and can form intramolecular resonance-assisted H-bonds from pure N-H...O to pure N...H-O through tautomeric and dynamically disordered N-H...O <==>N...H-O bonds according to the electronic properties of their substituents. Three compounds of this series (m-OCH(3)-AAN = mOM; p-Cl-AAN = pCl; and p-NMe(2)-AAN = pNM2) have been studied by X-ray crystallography at four temperatures (100-295 K), showing that the remarkably short H-bonds formed (2.53 < or = d(N...O) < or = 2.55 A) are a pure N-H...O in mOM, a dynamically disordered mixture in pCl (N-H...O:N...H-O = 69:31 at 100 K), and a statically disordered mixture in pNM2 (N-H...O:N...H-O = 21:79 at 100 K). These compounds, integrated by the p-H-, p-NO(2)-, p-F-, and p-O(-)-substituted derivatives, have been emulated by DFT methods (B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level) with full geometry optimization of the stationary points along the proton-transfer (PT) pathway: N-H...O and N...H-O ground states and N...H...O transition state. Analysis of DFT-calculated energies and geometries by the methods of the rate-equilibrium Marcus theory shows that all H-bond features (stability and tautomerism, as well as position and height of the PT barrier) can be coherently interpreted in the frame of the transition-state (or activated-complex) theory by considering the bond as a chemical reaction N-H...O <==> N...H...O <==> N...H-O which is bimolecular in both directions and proceeds via the N...H...O PT transition state (the activated complex).

Blue-shifting C–H…Y intramolecular hydrogen bonds – DFT and AIM analyses

Abstract B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations have been performed on intramolecular C–H…Y (Y = O, N, S) hydrogen bonded model systems, all species were fully optimized. The results show that for these systems weak H-bonds are formed which are not resonance assisted H-bonds in spite of the existence of conjugated bonds. IR and geometry analyses show that the H-bond formation for the systems studied leads to the shortening of the proton donating bonds and hence they may be classified as blue-shifting hydrogen bonds.

Variable Temperature Neutron Diffraction Analysis of a Very Short O−H···O Hydrogen Bond in 2,3,5,6-Pyrazinetetracarboxylic Acid Dihydrate: Synthon-Assisted Short Oacid−H···OwaterHydrogen Bonds in a Multicenter Array

Very short OH···O hydrogen bonds (O···O = 2.2−2.5 A) usually occur when the H-bond is stabilized by a negative or positive charge (OH···O-, O+H···O) or by resonance assistance (···OCCCOH···). We have characterized a very short intermolecular OacidH···Owater hydrogen bond in the title crystal structure, 1, by variable temperature neutron diffraction (O···O = 2.4751(11), 2.4765(10), 2.4807(12), and 2.4906(16) A at 20, 100, 200, and 293 K). The COOH donor is activated by π-cooperative hydrogen bonding (OacidH···OCacid), and the water-acceptor ability is enhanced by polarization assistance (σ-cooperative, OwH···Oacid, OwH···Npyrazine). The absence of proton migration in the temperature range 20−293 K to give ionic or tautomer forms rules out contribution from the charge- or resonance-assisted H-bonds in 1. The shortening of the OacidH···Ow hydrogen bond through synergistic π- and σ-cooperativity in the finite, neutral array I, named as a synthon-assisted hydrogen bond (SAHB), adds a new category to the curren...

Chemical information from the source function

The source function, which enables one to equate the value of the electron density at any point within a molecule to a sum of atomic contributions, has been applied to a number of cases. The source function is a model-independent, quantitative measure of the relative importance of an atom's or group's contribution to the density at any point in a system, and it represents a potentially interesting tool to provide chemical information. It is shown that the source contribution from H to the electron density rho(b) at the bond critical point in HX diatomics decreases with increasing X's electronegativity, and that this decrease is a result of significant changes in the Laplacian distribution within the H-basin. It is also demonstrated that the source function from Li to rho(b) in LiX diatomics is a more sensitive index of atomic transferability than it is the lithium atomic energy or population. The observed changes are such as to ensure a constant percentage source contribution from Li to rho(b) throughout the LiX series, rather than a constant source as one would expect in the limit of perfect atomic transferability. Application of the source function to planar lithium clusters has revealed that the source function clearly discriminates between a nonnuclear electron density maximum and a maximum associated to a nucleus, on the basis of the relative weight of the source contributions from the basin associated to the maximum and from the remaining basins in the cluster. The source function has also allowed for a classification of hydrogen bonds in terms of characteristic source contributions to the density at the H-bond critical point from the H involved in the H-bond, the H-donor D, and the H-acceptor A. The source contribution from the H appears as the most distinctive marker of the H-bond strength, being highly negative for isolated H-bonds, slightly negative for polarized assisted H-bonds, close to zero for resonance-assisted H-bonds, and largely positive for charge-assisted H-bonds. The contributions from atoms other than H, D, and A strongly increase with decreasing H-bond strength, consistently with the parallel increased electrostatic character of the interaction. The correspondence between the classification provided by the Electron Localization Function topologic approach and by the source function has been highlighted. It is concluded that the source function represents a practical tool to disclose the local and nonlocal character of the electron density distributions and to quantify such a locality and nonlocality in terms of a physically sound and appealing chemical partitioning.

The nature of solid-state N-H triplebondO/O-H triplebond N tautomeric competition in resonant systems. Intramolecular proton transfer in low-barrier hydrogen bonds formed by the triplebond O=C-C=N-NH triple bond -->

The tautomeric.O=C-C=N-NH triplebond --> <-- HO-C=C-N=N triplebond ketohydrazone-azoenol system may form strong N-H triplebond O/O-H triplebond N intramolecular resonance-assisted H-bonds (RAHBs) which are sometimes of the low-barrier H-bond type (LBHB) with dynamic exchange of the proton in the solid state. The problem of the N-H triplebond O/O-H triplebond N competition in these compounds is studied here through variable-temperature (100, 150, 200, and 295 K) crystal-structure determination of pF = 1-(4-F-phenylazo)2-naphthol and oF = 1-(2-F-phenylazo)2-naphthol, two molecules that, on the ground of previous studies (Gilli, P; Bertolasi, V.; Ferretti, V.; Gilli, G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 10405), were expected to represent an almost perfect balance of the two tautomers. According to predictions, the two molecules form remarkably strong bonds (d(N triplebond O) = 2.53-2.55 A) of double-minimum or LBHB type with dynamic N-H triplebond O/ O-H triplebond N exchange in the solid state. The enthalpy differences between the two minima, as measured by van't Hoff methods from the X-ray-determined proton populations, are very small and amount to DeltaH degrees = -0.120 and DeltaH degrees = -0.156 kcal mol(-)(1) in favor of the N-H triplebond O form for pF and oF, respectively. Successive emulation of pF by DFT methods at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level has shown that both energetic and geometric experimental aspects can be almost perfectly reproduced. Generalization of these results was sought by performing DFT calculations at the same level of theory along the complete proton-transfer (PT) pathway for five test molecules designed in such a way that the RAHB formed changes smoothly from weak N-H triplebond O to strong O-H.N through very strong N-H triplebond O/O-H triplebond N bond of LBHB type. A systematic correlation analysis of H-bond energies, H-bond and pi-conjugated fragment geometries, and H-bond Bader's AIM topological properties performed along the PT-pathways leads to the following conclusions: (a) any X-H triplebond Y H-bonded system is fully characterized by its intrinsic PT-barrier, that is, the symmetric barrier occurring when the proton affinities of X and Y are identical; (b) the intrinsic X-H triplebond Y bond associated with the symmetric barrier is the strongest possible bond in that system and will be single-minimum (single-well, no-barrier) or double-minimum (double-well, low-barrier) according to whether the intrinsic PT-barrier is lower or slightly higher than the zero-point vibrational level of the proton; (c) with reference to the intrinsic H-bond, the effect of chemical substitution can only be that of making more and more dissymmetric the PT-barrier, while the two H-bonds split in a higher-energy bond which is stronger because closer to the transition-state structure and in a lower-energy one (the stable form) which is weaker because farther from it; (d) complete dissymmetrization of the PT-barrier will increasingly weaken the more stable H-bond until the formation of an extreme dissymmetric single-minimum or dissymmetric single-well H-bond.