Inductive Effects on Intramolecular Hydrogen Bond Strength: An Investigation of the Effect of an Electron-Withdrawing CF3 Group Adjacent to an Alcohol Hydrogen Bond Donor

This combined experimental and theoretical study seeks to determine the role that inductive effects have on hydrogen bonds by an investigation into the change in intramolecular hydrogen bond strength in 2-amino-1-trifluoromethylethanol (2ATFME) relative to that in 2-aminoethanol (2AE). Toward this end, the rotational spectra of the normal, C-13, and N-15 isotopologues have been measured using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy and fit to the rotational, quadrupole coupling, and centrifugal distortion constants of the Watson A-reduction Hamiltonian. Structural parameters used to characterize the strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond have been determined from the experimental structures of both 2ATFME and 2AE as well as from MP2/6-311++G(d,p) calculations. A comparison of these parameters in 2ATFME with those of 2AE indicates that the electron-withdrawing trifluoromethyl CF3 group strengthens the hydrogen bond. These include a 4% decrease in the distance between the donor and acceptor heavy atoms of the hydrogen bond, a 6% increase toward linearity of the OH...N angle, and a 23% decrease of the COH...N torsional angle toward planarity in 2ATFME relative to 2AE. This trend toward increased intramolecular hydrogen bond strength in 2ATFME is also observed within the ab initio structures.