Reliable values for the thermodynamic functions associated with the hydrati
on of N-methylacetamide, NMA, in the temperature range 5-100 degreesC, are
obtained using experimental data from different investigations. They are an
alyzed by means of a suitable theoretical approach. The large and negative
hydration entropy values are determined by the excluded volume effect owing
to cavity creation in water in order to host the NMA molecule. The large a
nd, negative hydration enthalpy values are determined by the NMA-water van
der Waals interaction and H-bond energies. The latter are so large in magni
tude to overwhelm the work of cavity creation, causing the good solubility
of NMA in water. The analysis assumes that the reorganization of H-bonds am
ong water molecules in the hydration shell of NMA is characterized by a nea
rly perfect enthalpy-entropy compensation, so that such process does not af
fect the hydration Gibbs energy change.