Far infrared spectroscopy of hydrogen bonding collective motions in complex molecular systems

Abstract

Far infrared spectroscopy is a technique that allows the probing of the low frequency region of vibrational spectra and reveals, among others, vibrational modes of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Due to their collective nature, these modes are highly sensitive to the conformational state of the molecules as well as to their interactions. Far infrared spectroscopy is thus an emerging technique for the characterization of the low frequency motions of complex molecules, including polymers, peptides, proteins or ionic liquids. This technique is not limited by the molecule’s size and can be applied to solids and liquids. An overview of far infrared studies on complex structures and their interactions is given revealing the potential of the approach.