The role of hydrogen bond interaction on molecular orientation of alkanolamines through temperature and pressure variation: A mixed molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics study

Abstract The role of hydrogen bond interaction on the structural orientation of pure alkanolamines, monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and methyl diethanolamine (MDEA), was under consideration by computer simulation, molecular dynamics simulation as well as density functional theory. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out at different pressures and temperatures to discover structural stability. A comprehensive force field validation was performed to obtain accurate density. It was also observed that independent of pressure and temperature, MEA molecules prefer head-tail parallel orientation, DEA molecules show both vertical and parallel orientation, and MDEA molecules favor parallel arrangement in liquid state. The probability of hydrogen bond as a substantial intermolecular interaction was also investigated and substantial sites were evaluated. Intermolecular and intramolecular energy, hydrogen bond strength, and transport properties, as well as cluster formation, were investigated to offer an irrefutable proof on structural orientation. Ab initio computation by analyzing frequency, stabilization energy, and electron location function confirmed similar orientation, proposed by molecular dynamics simulation.