Detection by high pressure infrared spectrometry of hydrogen-bonding between water and triacetyl glycerol.

The barotropic behavior of neat and aqueous 1,2,3-triacetyl glycerol was investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy over the pressure range 0.001 to 35 kbar. The infrared spectrum in the presence of water shows bands characteristic of hydrogen bonded carbonyl groups. An increase in hydrostatic pressure leads to a strengthening of the intermolecular hydrogen bond between water and the lipid ester C = O groups. The pressure-induced formation of ice VI at 9 kbar does not affect this hydrogen bond, however, the formation, at 20 kbar, of ice VII in which the water/water hydrogen bonds are stronger than the lipid C = O/water hydrogen bonds, frees the lipid carbonyl groups from the hydrogen-bonding to water.