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▼Paper Information
Title: Conformational preference of 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol studied by supersonic jet spectroscopy: Intramolecular OH/π interaction
Authors: Hironari Nagasawa, Sakuya Ogawa, Wataru Kashihara, Tasuku Isozaki, Keisuke Hirata, Shun-ichi Ishiuchi, Masaaki Fujii, Tadashi Suzuki
Journal: The Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:

Research overview

Within your body, various chemical reactions are constantly occurring without your knowledge. It's like a giant chemical factory. Proteins are extremely important substances that make up the body, and enzymatic reactions involving proteins are well known. Enzymes take in specific substances (specific molecules) and cause reactions. Not just any substance will do. So, how do they distinguish between these molecules?

In this process, "molecular recognition" by proteins is crucial. Molecular recognition involves forces called interactions, and hydrogen bonding is one such force. In recent years, "weak hydrogen bonding," which differs from conventional hydrogen bonding, has attracted attention, and its importance in enzymatic reactions has become widely recognized. However, because this interaction is a weak force, it has not been sufficiently studied until now. Graduate students Nagasawa and Ogawa investigated the origin of this "weak hydrogen bonding," the OH/π interaction.

In the Suzuki Laboratory, we use an experimental technique called "supersonic jet spectroscopy" (Note 1) to investigate the detailed shape (structure) of molecules. The target molecular skeleton is 2-phenylethanol, which has both a benzene ring and an OH group. Upon examining the molecular structure, we found that the H of the OH group was oriented toward the benzene ring (π electron cloud), suggesting the existence of an OH/π interaction. We investigated how the overall shape (molecular structure) of phenylethanol changes when a methoxy group (CH?O-) is introduced, and summarized the effects in a paper (Figure 1).

It was found that the methoxy group increases the electron density on the benzene ring, and that the charge distribution changes when the orientation of the methoxy group changes (Figure 2). These factors cause changes in both the strength and direction of the OH/π interaction. Such insights into the fine molecular structure (stereostructure and electronic structure) lead to a true understanding of molecular reactions. This achievement is the result of the tireless efforts of Hiroshige Nagasawa and Sakuya Ogawa, who continued and further advanced his research.

(Note 1) Supersonic jet spectroscopy: When vaporized molecules are ejected into a vacuum such as outer space, adiabatic expansion can create molecules that are cold to near absolute zero (-273°C). When laser light is shone on molecules in this state, light emission (fluorescence) from the molecules can be observed. This experimental technique extracts information about the shape (structure) of the molecules from this light emission.

Comments from the supervisor

Many students are intimidated by the idea of physical chemistry research, thinking it's too difficult. However, it all starts with a simple curiosity about the phenomena that occur in nature: "What's happening?", "Why?", "How?", and "How can we understand it?". Ms. Nagasawa and Ms. Ogawa enjoyed their research on the theme of elucidating molecular structure and interactions. Their efforts have culminated in this academic paper. If you're interested, why not join us in physical chemistry?

▼研究に関する问い合わせ先
青山学院大学　理工学部　教授　铃木正
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惭补颈濒：蝉耻锄耻办颈蔼肠丑别尘.补辞测补尘补.补肠.箩辫
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▼取材に関する问い合わせ先
青山学院大学　政策?企画部　大学広报课
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