Hydrogen bonding in ortho-substituted arylamides: The influence of protic solvents

We combine molecular modeling and NMR methods to better understand intramolecular hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) in a frequently used arylamide foldamer building block, ortho-methoxy-N-methylbenzamide. Our results show that solvents have a profound influence on the cumulative number and stabilizing effects of intramolecular H-bonds, and thus conformational preferences, of foldamers based on this compound. While intramolecular H-bonds are conserved in aprotic environments, they are significantly disrupted in protic solvents. Furthermore, these solvent effects can be accurately quantified using the computational approach presented here. The results could have significant implications in foldamer design, particularly for applications in aqueous environments.