Specific intermolecular force definition

The idea of solvent polarity refers not to bonds, nor to molecules, but to the solvent as an assembly of molecules. Qualitatively, polar solvents promote the separation of solute moieties with unlike charges and they make it possible for solute moieties with like charges to approach each other more closely. Polarity affects the solvent s overall solvation capability (solvation power) for solutes. The polarity depends on the action of all possible, nonspecific and specific, intermolecular interactions between solute ions or molecules and solvent molecules. It covers electrostatic, directional, inductive, dispersion, and charge-transfer forces, as well as hydrogen-bonding forces, but excludes interactions leading to definite chemical alterations of the ions or molecules of the solute. 

Two species combine to form a complex in water if the sum of the intermolecular forces between them more than olfsets the sum of the loss of favorable interactions with solvent and any unfavorable interactions that develop between solutes during complex formation. Collectively the interactions between non-bonded species are referred to as cohesive forces, defined as those forces lost when the species are transferred to infinite separation in the gas phase. While it is common to classify chemical forces as covalent or non-covalent, the interactions are fundamentally the same only the magnitude of the interactions varies. Cohesive, non-specific forces are weak compared to covalent interactions typically we consider cohesive forces as those forces with strengths less than 1% of covalent bond strengths. We will see, however, that this definition is somewhat arbitrary and in fact a continuum of interaction energies exists. 

Although simple in its definition, the evaluation of 8 is not always straightforward. In many applications we need to know the effect of temperature and pressure on 8. If in addition the system is not volatile (such as the high polymers), the evaluation of 8 is difficult. The difficulty increases when we further need to know the separate contribution to 8 of intermolecular dispersion forces and of specific forces such as hydrogen bonding. 

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