Quantitative classification of covalent and noncovalent H-bonds

J Phys Chem B. 2006 Apr 6;110(13):6444-6. doi: 10.1021/jp0600817.

Abstract

The covalent nature of interactions within various hydrogen bonded molecular aggregates has been characterized by the two entirely different computational methods: Bader analysis of the electron density and variation-perturbation partitioning of the intermolecular interaction energy. Analysis of 34 complexes representing different types of hydrogen bonds indicates that the proton-acceptor distance approximately 1.8 A and the ratio of delocalization and electrostatic terms approximately 0.45 constitutes approximately a borderline between covalent and noncovalent hydrogen bonds. The latter ratio could be used to characterize quantitatively the degree of the covalent nature of transition state interactions with active site residues, a quantity essential for an enzyme catalytic activity.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Models, Chemical*