Hydrogen Bonds

Chapter Two of Biochemistry (Mathews, van Holde, and Ahern) has a section devoted to hydrogen bonds. Some of the main points:

* Hydrogen covalently bonds to an atom called the hydrogen bond donor.
* A nonbonded electron pair forms with an atom called the hydrogen bond acceptor.
* Oxygen and nitrogen are electronegative atoms and common hydrogen bond donors.
* Hydrogen bonds explain unique properties of water.
* Hydrogen bonds facilitate solutions of polar compounds in water.
* Hydrogen bonds are biologically significant. Large polymers like DNA and proteins are stabilized by hydrogen bonding.