Difference Spatial Distribution Function Analysis of Aqueous Solutions. IV. Hydration Structure Changes of Ethylene Glycol Solutions throughout Conformational Change Process from gGg' to tGg' Conformers

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Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were carried out for an infinitely dilute aqueous solution of two stable conformers (gGg' and tGg') and of three conformations between gGg' and tGg' conformers of ethylene glycol (EG) at 298 K. Based on the spatial distribution function (SDF) g_OO(x, y, z), obtained from the MC simulation in the above conformations in liquid water, the high distribution of hydration water molecules could be divided into hydrogen acceptor (HA), hydrogen donor (HD), MIX (overlapped distribution of HA and HD), and hydrophobic hydration (HH) regions. The spatial orientations of hydrogen-bonded water molecules were found to be of a linear type with a triple-layer structure in the HA region and HA part (in the MIX region), and double-layer structures in the HD region and HD part (in the MIX region). In addition, it was apparent that the spatial orientations of these water molecules were of the linear type throughout the conformational change process from gGg' to tGg' conformers in liquid water. From the difference SDF (DSDF), Δg_OO(x, y, z), between the SDFs of two conformations, we concluded that the distribution of hydration water molecules in the HA and HD parts of the MIX region are governed by the competition of internal hydrogen bonds between the hydrogen atom and two lone-pair electrons on the oxygen atom of an EG molecule.