Complexes with strong symmetric hydrogen bonds and their solvation in the trifluoroacetic acid—N,N-dimethylformamide system studied by IR spectroscopy

Abstract

Complex formation in the trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)—DMF system containing TFA from 0 to 100 mol.% was studied by IR multiple attenuated total reflectance (MATR) spectroscopy at 30°C. The formation of uncharged 1∶1 TFA—DMF complexes with a quasi-ion structure and partial proton transfer to the O atom of the DMF molecule (quasi-ion pairs) were observed in the TFA—DMF system with the TFA content from 0 to 90 mol%. Depending on the ratio of the components, the quasi-ion pairs are solvated by the DMF or TFA molecules. The solvation of the quasi-ion pairs slightly changes the parameters of the central strong H bond. When the acid concentration reaches 80 mol.%, the proton adds to the DMF molecule to form the ion pair (DMF)H⁺·(A...H...A)⁻, whose anion contains a strong symmetric H bond.