Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2025

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F−
Published on: July 27, 2018
Probing Noncovalent Interaction Strengths of Host-Guest Complexes Using Negative Ion Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Haitao Sun1,2,3, Zhenrong Sun1, Xue-Bin Wang4
1State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
Abstract:
Noncovalent interactions (NCIs) are crucial for the formation and stability of host-guest complexes, which have wide-ranging implications across various fields, including biology, chemistry, materials science, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science. However, since NCIs are relatively weak and sensitive to bulk perturbation, direct and accurate measurement of their absolute strength has always been a significant challenge. This concept article aims to demonstrate the gas-phase electrospray ionization (ESI)-negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy (NIPES) as a direct and precise technique to measure the absolute interaction strength, probe nature of NCIs, and reveal the electronic structural information for host-guest complexes. Our recent studies in investigating various host-guest complexes that involve various types of NCIs such as anion-π, (di)hydrogen bonding, charge-separated ionic interactions, are overviewed. Finally, a summary and outlook are provided for this field.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Intermolecular Forces
Nuclear Overhauser Enhancement (NOE)
Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules
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,...
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS): Interferences

