Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Computational chemistry

Dances with hydrogen cations

Life depends on the flow of hydrogen cations in water, yet their dynamic behaviour when in complex with water molecules is unknown. The latest computer simulations cast light on the jiggling of these hydrated ions.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: The Zundel cation and its vibrations.

References

  1. Vendrell, O., Gatti, F. & Meyer, H.-D. Angew. Chem. Int. Edn 48, 352–355 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. de Grotthusss, C. J. T. Ann. Chim. 58, 54–73 (1806).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Eigen, M. Angew. Chem. Int. Edn 3, 1–19 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zundel, G. & Metzer, H. Z. Phys. Chem. 58, 225–245 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Agmon, N. Chem. Phys. Lett. 244, 456–462 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Schmitt, U. W. & Voth, G. A. J. Chem. Phys. 111, 9361–9381 (1999).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Smondyrev, A. M. & Voth, G. A. Biophys. J. 82, 1460–1468 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Asmis, K. R. et al. Science 299, 1375–1377 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Headrick, J. M. et al. Science 308, 1765–1769 (2005).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cabarcos, O. M., Weinheimer, C. J., Lisy, J. M. & Xantheas, S. S. J. Chem. Phys. 110, 5–8 (1999).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Nauta, K. & Miller, R. E. Science 287, 293–295 (2000).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bowman, J. M. J. Chem. Phys. 68, 608–610 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gerber, R. B. & Ratner, M. A. Chem. Phys. Lett. 68, 195–198 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Beck, M. H., Jäckle, A., Worth, G. A. & Meyer, H.-D. Phys. Rep. 324, 1–105 (2000).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hodges, M. P. & Stone, A. J. J. Chem. Phys. 110, 6766–6772 (1999).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xantheas, S. Dances with hydrogen cations. Nature 457, 673–674 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/457673a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/457673a

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing