Neutral and zwitterionic glycine.H(2)O complexes: A theoretical and matrix-isolation Fourier transform infrared study

The H-bond interaction between glycine and H2O has been studied by a combined theoretical (DFT(B3LYP)/6-31++G(**)) and experimental (matrix-isolation FT-IR) methodology. The 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of the most stable conformation (I) of glycine appear to be neutral complexes which have been vibrationally characterized in detail. The higher stoichiometry complexes (glycine).(H2O)n with n larger than 3 are demonstrated to be zwitterionic H-bonded complexes. A set of characteristic IR absorption bands for this zwitterionic structure has been observed in low-temperature Ar matrices. This would be the first experimental IR evidence for proton transfer occurring between the NH2 and COOH groups of amino acids by a H-bonded water molecular channel in isolated conditions.