The hydration of alkali cations yields a variety of structural conformers with varying numbers of water molecules in the first solvation shell. How these ions move from the aqueous phase into biological systems, such as at the entrance of an ion channel, depends on the interplay between competing intermolecular forces, which first must involve ion-water and water-water interactions. New infrared action spectra, using argon as a messenger or "spy", for Li(+), Na(+), and K(+), with up to five water molecules are reported, and new structural conformers determined from ab initio calculations, combined with previous results on Rb(+) and Cs(+), have identified structural transitions at each hydration level. These transitions are a result of the delicate balance between competing noncovalent interactions and represent a quantitative microscopic view of the macroscopic enthalpy-entropy competition between energy and structural variety. Smaller cations (Li(+) and Na(+)), with higher charge density, yield structural configurations with extended linear networks of hydrogen bonds. Larger cations (Rb(+) and Cs(+)), with lower charge density, generate configurations with cyclic hydrogen-bonded water subunits. It appears that K(+) is somewhat unique, with very simple (and predominantly) single structural conformers. This has led to the suggestion that K(+) can "move" easily in or through biological systems, concealing its identity as an ion, under the "appearance" or disguise of a water molecule.

Infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra of M(+)(H2O)nAr (M = Rb, Cs; n = 3-5) with simultaneous monitoring of [Ar] and [Ar+H2O] fragmentation channels are reported. The comparison between the spectral features in the two channels and corresponding energy analysis provide spectral assignments of the stable structural conformers and insight into the competition between ion-water electrostatic and water-water hydrogen bonding interactions. Results show that as the level of hydration increases, the water-water interaction exhibits the tendency to dominate over the ion-water interaction. Cyclic water tetramer and water pentamer substructures appear in Cs(+)(H2O)4Ar and Cs(+)(H2O)5Ar systems, respectively. However, cyclic water tetramer and pentamer structures were not observed for Rb(+)(H2O)4Ar and Rb(+)(H2O)5Ar systems, respectively, due to the stronger influence of the rubidium ion-water electrostatic interaction. The energy analysis, including the available internal energy and the IR photon energy, helped provide an experimental estimate of water binding energies.

The indole functional group can be found in many biologically relevant molecules, such as neurotransmitters, pineal hormones and medicines. Indole has been used as a tractable model to study the hydration structures of biomolecules as well as the interplay of non-covalent interactions within ion-biomolecule-water complexes, which largely determine their structure and dynamics. With three potential binding sites: above the six- or five-member ring, and the N-H group, the competition between π and hydrogen bond interactions involves multiple locations. Electrostatic interactions from monovalent cations are in direct competition with hydrogen bonding interactions, as structural configurations involving both direct cation-indole interactions and cation-water-indole bridging interactions were observed. The different charge densities of Na(+) and K(+) give rise to different structural conformers at the same level of hydration. Infrared spectra with parallel hybrid functional-based calculations and Gibbs free energy calculations revealed rich structural insights into the Na(+)/K(+)(indole)(H2O)3-6 cluster ion complexes. Isotopic (H/D) analyses were applied to decouple the spectral features originating from the OH and NH stretches. Results showed no evidence of direct interaction between water and the NH group of indole (via a σ-hydrogen bond) at current levels of hydration with the incorporation of cations. Hydrogen bonding to a π-system, however, was ubiquitous at hydration levels between two and five.