Single-centered hydrogen-bonded enhanced acidity (SHEA) acids: a new class of Bronsted acids

Hydrogen bonds are the dominant motif for organizing the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules like carbohydrates, nucleic acids and proteins and have served as templates for proton transfer reactions. The computations in dimethyl sulfoxide on a series of polyols have shown that multiple hydrogen bonds to a single charged center have led to enhanced acidities and a new class of Bronsted acids is described.