hydrofobic effect
otherwise
hydrophobic interaction
(rus. гидрофобное взаимодействие otherwise гидрофобный эффект)
—
an attraction between nonpolar particles in water (or other polar solvents) arising from thermodynamically unfavourable interaction between water and nonpolar substances.
Description
Hydrophobic interaction occurs only in the presence of polar solvents. The strong attraction between polar molecules leads to the repulsion of hydrophobic particles and their agglomeration. Hydrophobic interaction takes part in the formation of the tertiary structure of proteins and provides for molecular recognition in some supramolecular guest-host complexes. It plays a key role in the formation of micelles and other structures in solutions of surfactants.
Author
- Eremin Vadim V.
Source
- Jerry L. Atwood, Jonathan W. Steed. Encyclopedia of Supramolecular Chemistry. CRC Press, 2004. — 1744 pp.