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Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen Bonds

A hydrogen bond is formed when a weakly positive hydrogen atom already bonded to one electronegative atom (for example, the oxygen in the water molecule) is attracted to another electronegative atom from another polar molecule, such as water (H2O), hydrogen fluoride (HF), or ammonia (NH3). The huge electronegativity difference between the H atom (2.1) and the atom to which it is bonded (4.0 for an F atom, 3.5 for an O atom, or 3.0 for an N atom), combined with the very small size of an H atom...

Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen BondsHydrogen bonds are weak attractions between atoms that have formed other chemical bonds. One of these atoms is electronegative, like oxygen, and has a partial negative charge. The other is a hydrogen atom that has bonded with another electronegative atom and has a partial positive charge.Hydrogen Bonds Control the World!Because hydrogen has very weak electronegativity when it binds with a strongly electronegative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen, electrons in the bond are...

Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect

Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect

In complexation reactions, metal atoms or cations interact with ligands to form donor-acceptor adducts called metal complexes. Ligands that bind through one donor site are monodentate, ligands with two donor sites are bidentate, and those with more than two donor sites are polydentate ligands. For example, ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms, forming a five-membered ring. EDTA is a polydentate ligand that binds through four oxygen and two nitrogen...

Metal-Ligand Bonds

Metal-Ligand Bonds

The hemoglobin in the blood, the chlorophyll in green plants, vitamin B-12, and the catalyst used in the manufacture of polyethylene all contain coordination compounds. Ions of the metals, especially the transition metals, are likely to form complexes.
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...

Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules

Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules

Noncovalent attractions are associations within and between molecules that influence the shape and structural stability of complexes. These interactions differ from covalent bonding in that they do not involve sharing of electrons.
Four types of noncovalent interactions are hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, ionic bonds, and hydrophobic interactions.
Hydrogen bonding results from the electrostatic attraction of a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a strong-electronegative atom like oxygen,...

Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes

Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes

In complexation reactions, metal cations are the electron pair acceptors, and the ligands are the electron pair donors. The stability of the metal complexes depends primarily on the complexing ability of the central metal ion and the nature of the ligands. Generally, the complexing ability of the metal ion depends on the size and charge of the ion. As the metal ion size increases, the stability of the metal complexes decreases, provided that the valency of the metal ion and the ligands remain...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Synthesis, Hemoglobin Encapsulation and Biorthogonal PEGylation in Hierarchically Porous UiO-66 Nanoparticles for Oxygen Delivery Applications

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Boronic acid hydrogen bonding in encapsulation complexes.

Dariush Ajami¹, Henry Dube, Julius Rebek

¹The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|June 4, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers observed hydrogen bonds in solution using reversible encapsulation. Boronic acids, carboxylic acids, and primary amides formed stable complexes, revealing insights into molecular interactions.

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Area of Science:

Supramolecular Chemistry
Chemical Physics
Biophysical Chemistry

Background:

Hydrogen bonds are crucial for macromolecular structure but difficult to observe directly in solution due to short lifetimes.
Characterizing weak molecular interactions typically requires specialized techniques or conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate and directly observe hydrogen-bonding interactions between different functional groups within a confined environment.
To compare the hydrogen-bonding capabilities of carboxylic acids, primary amides, and boronic acids.

Main Methods:

Utilized reversible encapsulation to isolate molecules in nanoscale compartments for extended periods.
Employed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for the characterization of encapsulated molecules and their interactions.
Conducted competitive co-encapsulation studies with various hydrogen-bonding partners.

Main Results:

Achieved direct observation of homodimeric boronic acids and heterodimeric complexes with carboxylic acids and primary amides.
Demonstrated that reversible encapsulation enables the study of transient hydrogen bonds.
Showcased the adaptable structures of boronic acids as key to their efficacy as hydrogen-bonding partners.

Conclusions:

Reversible encapsulation is a powerful method for studying weak molecular interactions like hydrogen bonds in solution.
Boronic acids exhibit unique structural adaptability, making them effective hydrogen-bonding agents.
The study provides direct evidence of specific hydrogen-bond formations previously difficult to observe.