Open AccessSupersonic beam investigations of indole and indole–halomethane complexes: intermolecular interactions
Author(s) -
James W. Hager,
Stephen C. Wallace
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
canadian journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.323
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1480-3291
pISSN - 0008-4042
DOI - 10.1139/v85-257
Subject(s) - chemistry , intermolecular force , indole test , van der waals force , molecular beam , molecule , chemical physics , dipole , supersonic speed , hydrogen bond , computational chemistry , stereochemistry , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , physics
We report the findings of a supersonic beam investigation of the 1:1 gas phase complexes of indole with various halomethanes. The unique environment of the supersonic jet provides a method by which the pairwise intermolecular interactions of these complexes can be studied without the complications of condensed media effects. The behavior of argon and methane van der Waals molecules is described first in order to provide examples of simple dispersive interactions. These are then contrasted with complexing species such as CF 4 and CCl 4 where repulsive interactions offset the stabilization due to dispersive and dipole – induced dipole forces. Finally, we show that the interaction between the probe molecule and CHCl 3 and CH 2 Cl 2 is apparently hydrogen bonding with the indole π electronic system. The implications of these intermolecular interactions on the area of general anesthesia are discussed in terms of a picture in which both the hydrophobic and polar portions of cell membrane may be reversibly affected.