This study reports (1S,2S)-N,N'-dihydroxy-N,N'-bis(diphenylacetyl)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine, a C2 symmetric chiral hydroxamic acid ((S)-CBHA-DPA), as a unique probe for discrimination of molecules with diverse functionalities. The proposed CSA is also utilized for the accurate measurement of enantiomeric excess.

The existence of three centered C=O···H(N)···X-C hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) involving organic fluorine and other halogens in diphenyloxamide derivatives has been explored by NMR spectroscopy and quantum theoretical studies. The three centered H-bond with the participation of a rotating CF3 group and the F···H-N intramolecular hydrogen bonds, a rare observation of its kind in organofluorine compounds, has been detected. It is also unambiguously established by a number of one and two dimensional NMR experiments, such as temperature perturbation, solvent titration, (15)N-(1)H HSQC, and (19)F-(1)H HOESY, and is also confirmed by theoretical calculations, such as quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), natural bond orbital (NBO) and non-covalent interaction (NCI).

The presence of two- and three-centered hydrogen bonds (HB) of the type H(N)···X-C and C═O···H(N)···X-C, respectively, involving organic fluorine in the synthesized hydrazide halo derivatives have been convincingly established by extensive multidimensional NMR studies. The stabilized conformation of the molecules involving two- and three-centered HBs derived by NMR studies have been further confirmed by density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations, such as quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), noncovalent interaction (NCI), and relaxed potential energy scan.

The conformational stability of synthesized diphenyloxalohydrazide and dibenzoyloxalohydrazide fluoro derivatives has been investigated by extensive NMR studies that are ascertained by various levels of theoretical calculations. Two-dimensional H-F HOESY NMR experiments revealed the close spatial proximity between two NMR-active nuclei, confirming the hydrogen bond (HB)-mediated interaction between them, further aiding in establishing the probable stable conformations of these molecules. The relaxed potential energy scan disclosed the energy-minimized most stable structure among the several possible multiple conformations, which is in concurrence with NMR interpretations. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations have been employed to unequivocally establish the conformational stability and the nature of HB formation at varied temperatures. With the possibility of occurrence of a number of probable conformations, the percentage of occurrences of different types of HBs in them was determined by MD simulations. Their population analysis was carried out using a Boltzmann distribution, in addition to deriving their Gibbs free energies. The molecular interactions governing the stable conformations have not only been ascertained by experimental NMR interpretations but also corroborated by other theoretical computations, viz., quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and noncovalent interaction (NCI).