Hydrophobic hydration of the hydrocarbon adamantane in amorphous ice.

ABSTRACT: Hydrophobic molecules are by definition difficult to hydrate. Previous studies in the area of hydrophobic hydration have therefore often relied on using amphiphilic molecules where the hydrophilic part of a molecule enabled the solubility in liquid water. Here, we show that the hydrophobic adamantane (C₁₀H₁₆) molecule can be fully hydrated through vapour codeposition with water onto a cryogenic substrate at 80 K resulting in the matrix isolation of adamantane in amorphous ice. Using neutron diffraction in combination with the isotopic substitution method and the empirical potential structure refinement technique, we find that the first hydration shell of adamantane is well structured consisting of a hydrogen-bonded cage of 28 water molecules that is also found in cubi

SUBMITTER: Talewar SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10845010 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature