Nitriles as directionally tolerant hydrogen bond acceptors: IR-UV ion depletion spectroscopy of benzenepropanenitrile and its hydrate clusters

• Benzenepropanenitrile and its hydrate clusters are studied by IR-UV spectroscopy.
• Water molecules bind to the nitrile in both linear and side-type arrangements.
• The nitrile group is less directionally stringent than many other H-bond acceptors.