A Study on Structure, Stability, Cooperativity and Hydrogen Bond in the Complexes of nHCHO and nH2O (n=1-3) by Quantum Chemical Method

Eight stable structures of nHCHO∙∙∙nH2O (n=1-3) were observed on potential surface energy at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. All complexes were mainly stabilized by O-H∙∙∙O hydrogen bond and an additional contribution of Csp2-H∙∙∙O one. The larger positive cooperativity when adding H2O as compared to HCHO molecule is the most important factor in complex stabilization. The obtained results show that the O-H∙∙∙O is red-shifting hydrogen bond while Csp2-H∙∙∙O belongs to blue-shifting hydrogen bond. It is remarkable that an addition of H2O/HCHO into the binary system leads a Csp2-H bond contraction and an increase of its stretching frequency in Csp2-H∙∙∙O hydrogen bond, in which the larger marnitude of its blue-shifting enhancement is found as adding H2O molecule. This result is mainly governed by a decrease of electron density at σ*(Csp2-H) orbital and an increase in the s-character percentage of the Csp2 (Csp2-H).