Hydrogen Bonding, Ionic Solvation, and Conformational Effects

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With this renewal award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program continues its support for the work of Professor Charles L. Perrin of the Department of Chemistry at the University of California at San Diego. The research will continue the PI's investigations of hydrogen bonding, acidity, and solvation in organic molecules. The hydrogen bond, in which a hydrogen is shared between two electronegative atoms, is a dominant motif in chemistry and biochemistry. A major objective of the proposed research is to determine the symmetry of a variety of hydrogen bonds. Although symmetric hydrogen bonds have been proposed to be involved in enzyme-catalyzed reactions, there is little experimental evidence for them. A sophisticated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique, the method of isotopic perturbation of equilibrium, will be used to search for symmetric hydrogen bonds. NMR investigations will also be used to probe molecular stabilizations resulting from the interactions of electron pairs and the energetics of solvation.These studies are expected to have broad impact upon the biological sciences. In particular, they will contribute to our knowledge of factors responsible for DNA and protein three-dimensional structure. In addition these experiments will provide significant basic knowledge in the increasingly important area of non-covalent interactions between molecules. The research will also provide valuable training for students.