What is the origin of #"hydrogen-bonding"#?

1 Answer
May 28, 2017

Hydrogen bonding is not due to #"anomalous expansion"#, whatever that is.

Explanation:

Hydrogen bonding is an intermolecular interaction observed when hydrogen is bound to a strongly electronegative atom such as fluorine, or oxygen, or nitrogen. It is largely responsible for the absurdly high normal boiling points of water, and hydrogen fluoride, #100# #""^@C#, and #19.5# #""^@C# respectively.

Because of the electronegativity of the heteroatom charge separation occurs to give #""^(delta+)H-F^(delta-)# or #""^(delta-)OH_2^(delta+)#, and when the dipoles line up this constitutes a potent intermolecular force.