Molecular structure of complexes with bifurcated hydrogen bond:: I.: N-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl)acetamide

According to the results of HF/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* nonempirical calculations, N-(4-methyl-2-nitrophenyl)acetamide in the synperiplanar and antiperiplanar conformations gives stable complexes with protophilic solvents, which are stabilized by bifurcated (three-center) hydrogen bond. The complexes are characterized by (1) opposite variations of the interatomic distances and angles corresponding to intra- and intermolecular components of the bifurcated hydrogen bond, (2) extension of the intramolecular component and a more pronounced shortening of the intermolecular component with increase in the strength of the three-center H-complex, and (3) nonlinear and nonmonotonic relation between the NH stretching vibration frequency and the energy of complex formation.