Hydrogen bonds

[Neha Gupta 2A]

Why can't hydrogens attached to carbon form hydrogen bonds while hydrogens attached to N,O,F can?

[Stuti Pradhan 2J]

The difference in electronegativity between the hydrogen and the carbon is not enough to give the hydrogen a significant partial positive charge, so it is not attracted to the lone pair electrons on other oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine atoms. Hydrogens attached to carbons mainly only have induced dipole -induced dipole interactions, unless the molecule is polar, in which case dipole dipole interactions may also occur.

Hope this helps!

[Thomas Gimeno]

Carbon and hydrogen have very similar electronegativities so when they are bonded together it is non polar. This means that their is no partial charges and it is these partial charges that cause hydrogen bonding to occur.

[Eve Gross-Sable 1B]

Their electronegativities are too similar. Because hydrogen bonds are formed from electron via a difference in electronegativity, it won't happen when a hydrogen and a carbon are near each other that level of pulling does not occur.

[Caelin Brenninkmeijer 1G]

Hydrogen bonding is a result of a hydrogen atom bonding to a very electronegative atom (F, N, O). Hydrogen would be unable to form a hydrogen bond with carbon because their electronegativity values are too close/similar.

[Brian Nguyen 2I]

Carbon and hydrogen's electronegativity difference is too small compared to that of hydrogen with the elements nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine. Thus, it can't form partial charges for hydrogen bonds to occur.

[Mina Tadros 3L]

Carbon and Hydrogen have similar electronegativities, and thus, have a small electronegativity difference. However, since Fluorine, Oxygen, and NItrogen are more electronegative than Carbon, there is a greater electronegativity difference. This is why hydrogen bonds are only present in bonds with Nitrogen, Fluorine, and Oxygen.

[Lauren Strickland 1B]

It is because carbon and hydrogen have similar electronegativities. Fluorine, nitrogen, and oxygen are extremely electronegative so they can form hydrogen bonds.

[Sean Phen]

N,O, F have high electronegativities, and hydrogen has to bond with elements with high electronegativities. Carbon is not one of them.

[Yuehan_Wu_3K]

Because the difference of electronegativity between hydrogen and carbon is much smaller than that between hydrogen and N,O,F

[Brian_Wu_3B]

It's the difference in electronegativity. The difference between C and H aren't great enough to cause hydrogen bonding.

[Simran Bains 2C]

It is due to the electronegativity of the carbon and hydrogen being very similar.

[IshanModiDis2L]

Hydrogen bonding is a consequence of a hydrogen atom bonding to a very electronegative atom specifically F, N, O. Hydrogen is able to form a hydrogen bond with these atoms because the difference in electronegativity is large enough unlike it is with carbon. The small difference between the hydrogen and the carbon is not enough to give the hydrogen a significant partial positive charge, so it is not attracted to the lone pair electrons.

[Ethan Goode 2H]

N,O, and F are much more electronegative than Carbon, meaning when they are bonded to the hydrogen there is less of a dipole moment since the carbon is not as electronegative, therefore not allowing hydrogen bonds to form.

[Zainab Jamali 1H]

The hydrogen bond relies partially on a partial positive charge on the hydrogen. When the H is attached to a carbon, there is very little polarity and the partial charge on hydrogen isn't there to bond to the partial negative on the bonding atom.

[tholz11]

Hydrogen and Carbon's electronegativities are too similar to create the polarity needed for Hydrogen bonds to form.

[Kat Stahl 2K]

It results from the attractive force between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a very electronegative atom such as a N, O, or F atom and another very electronegative atom. Carbon is not electronegative enough to form a hydrogen bond.

[Michael Cardenas 3B]

Are N, O, and F the only atoms that hydrogen bonds can occur with or can they also occur with other electronegative atoms?

[Kaiya_PT_1H]

Are N, O, and F the only atoms that hydrogen bonds can occur with or can they also occur with other electronegative atoms?

just N,O, and F since they are the most highly electronegative!

[Michael Cardenas 3B]

Ok thank you!!

[Wenhan Li_3d]

There is no partial charges because they have very similar electronegativity. In other word the differences between hydrogen and carbon is not large enough to form the positive partial charges and so non polar.