Structures of phenol-ammonia and phenol-water compounds

Phenol-water and phenol-ammonia clusters are useful model systems for understanding the types of proton-transfer interactions that occur during photosynthesis in plants and bacteria. However, almost nothing is known about these complexes in the solid state. Since these appear to be excellent candidates to undergo solid-state proton transfer under slight degrees of compression, structure determinations at low temperature and later under hydrostatic pressure are required. The aim of this work is to carry out low-temperature structural characterisation of the known phases, phenol hemihydrate, phenol mono-ammoniate and phenol di-ammoniate. Furthermore, I propose to evaluate the possible existence of an ammonia-rich phase with a phenol to ammonia ratio of about 9:1.