Skip to main content
Ch. 27 - Carbohydrates, Nucleic Acids, and Lipids
Mullins - Organic Chemistry: A Learner Centered Approach 1st Edition
Mullins1st EditionOrganic Chemistry: A Learner Centered ApproachISBN: 9780137566471Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 26, Problem 3b

Identify the hydrogen bond donors and hydrogen bond acceptors in the following molecules.
(b) Chemical structure of a molecule showing hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, with labeled nitrogen and oxygen atoms.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors. A hydrogen bond donor is a molecule or functional group that has a hydrogen atom attached to an electronegative atom (like N, O, or F) and can donate this hydrogen for hydrogen bonding. A hydrogen bond acceptor is an electronegative atom with lone pairs of electrons that can accept a hydrogen bond.
Step 2: Analyze the structure of the molecule provided. The molecule is a pyrimidine derivative with two carbonyl groups (C=O) and two amine groups (-NH). Carbonyl groups contain oxygen atoms with lone pairs, making them potential hydrogen bond acceptors. Amine groups have hydrogen atoms attached to nitrogen, making them potential hydrogen bond donors.
Step 3: Identify the hydrogen bond donors. In the structure, the two -NH groups are hydrogen bond donors because the nitrogen atoms are electronegative and the attached hydrogens can participate in hydrogen bonding.
Step 4: Identify the hydrogen bond acceptors. The oxygen atoms in the two carbonyl groups (C=O) are hydrogen bond acceptors because they have lone pairs of electrons that can form hydrogen bonds.
Step 5: Summarize the findings. The molecule has two hydrogen bond donors (the two -NH groups) and two hydrogen bond acceptors (the two oxygen atoms in the carbonyl groups).

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Hydrogen Bond Donors

Hydrogen bond donors are molecules or functional groups that contain a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine. In the context of the provided molecule, the NH (amine) groups serve as hydrogen bond donors, as they can donate their hydrogen atom to form a hydrogen bond with an acceptor.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:48
The definition of hydrogenation.

Hydrogen Bond Acceptors

Hydrogen bond acceptors are atoms or groups that have a lone pair of electrons and can accept a hydrogen bond from a donor. In the given molecule, the carbonyl oxygen atoms (C=O) act as hydrogen bond acceptors, as they possess lone pairs that can interact with hydrogen atoms from donors, facilitating the formation of hydrogen bonds.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:48
The definition of hydrogenation.

Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonding is a type of attractive interaction that occurs between a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom with a lone pair of electrons. This interaction is crucial in determining the physical properties of compounds, such as boiling points and solubility, and plays a significant role in biological systems, including the structure of proteins and nucleic acids.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:48
The definition of hydrogenation.