New supramolecular architectures using hydrogen bonding

Several new multiply hydrogen bonded complexes have been studied to determine their strength and the specificity with which they form. While many factors contribute to the stability of multiply hydrogen bonded complexes, it appears that the arrangement of the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor groups is a particularly good predictor of binding strength. The results are consistent with W. L. Jorgensen’s secondary electrostatic hypothesis. The heterocyclic recognition units that have been synthesized may serve as the basis for constructing new synthetic hosts or new self-assembling systems.