Geometrical behavior of hydrogen bonding patterns in the α-dodecyl-ω-hydroxy-tris(oxyethylene)-water system monitored by near infrared spectroscopy

Changes in the geometry of hydrogen bonding patterns in the α-dodecyl-ω-hydroxy-tris(oxyethylene) (C12E3)-water system have been investigated by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. In the 5300-4600 cm−1 region, the characteristic bands for C12E3 and water can be separately investigated, since the combination bands of the OH stretching and its COH bending of alcohols are observed at 5000-4650 cm−1, whereas the combination bands of the OH stretching and its HOH bending of water, at 5300-5000 cm−1. The NIR result has revealed that the addition of water to C12E3 promotes the formation of the OH⋯OH⋯O hydrogen bonds.