Abstract
THE hydrogen bond is usually described as unsymmetrical, with the hydrogen atom nearer one of the two bonding atoms, and the energy of bonding is considered as due to electrostatic and delocalization energy. The principal valency bond structures considered are I, II and III, and it has been shown1 that when the O—O distance is 2.5 A. these three structures have the relative weights 60.3, 28.4 and 11.3. Resonance of a purely covalent character is not considered to play a part as this would require the hydrogen atom to be symmetrically placed between the two bonded atoms, and Donohue2, by extrapolating Pauling's bond-order/bond-length relationship, has calculated that for such a bond the O—O distance could not exceed 2.4 A. However, most of the detailed studies of this problem have been concerned with intermolecular hydrogen bonds, and it is suggested here that in the cyclic systems involved in intramolecular hydrogen bonds, covalent forces play a much larger part.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Coulson, C. A., and Danielsson, U., Ark. Fys., 8, 239 (1954).
Donohue, J., J. Phys. Chem., 56, 502 (1952).
Davies, M., Ann. Rep. Chem. Soc., 5 (1946).
Robertson, J. M., “Organic Crystals and Molecules” (Cornell, 1953).
Cardwell, H. M. E., Dunitz, J. D., and Orgel, L. E., J. Chem. Soc., 3740 (1953).
Godycki, L. E., Rundle, R. E., Voter, R. C., and Banks, C. J., J. Chem. Phys., 19, 1205 (1951).
Fujita, J., Nakahara, A., and Tsuchida, R., J. Chem. Phys., 23, 1205 (1955).
Nakamoto, K., Margoshes, M., and Rundle, R. E., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 77, 6480 (1955).
Branch, R. F., Nature, 177, 671 (1956).
Cromwell, N. H., Miller, F. A., Johnson, A. R., Franck, R. L., and Wallace, D. J., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 71, 3337 (1949).
Eistert, B., and Munder, H., Chem. Ber., 91, 1415 (1958).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GILL, E., MORGAN, E. Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding in Heterocyclic Systems. Nature 183, 248–249 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/183248a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/183248a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.