The opportunity of the formation of molecular complexes with bifurcated hyd
rogen bonds (H-bonds) in liquid phase is discussed. It was shown that, prac
tically in all previous. studies, the idea of the bifurcation was used only
for the explanation of the observed experimental facts. The IR and H-1 NMR
spectra of solutions containing 2,6-disubstituted phenol derivatives with
strong intramolecular H-bond and various proton accepters were obtained at
85-300 K, The distinct spectral manifestations of weak additional interacti
on between the bound OH group of proton donor and proton acceptor molecules
were found confirming the real existence of the bifurcated H-bonds in the
liquid state,(C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.