Microscopic probing of the size dependence in hydrophobic solvation

We report small angle x-ray scattering data demonstrating the direct experimental microscopic observation of the small-to-large crossover behavior of hydrophobic effects in hydrophobic solvation. By increasing the side chain length of amphiphilic tetraalkyl-ammonium (CnH2n+1)(4)N+ (R4N+) cations in aqueous solution we observe diffraction peaks indicating association between cations at a solute size between 4.4 and 5 angstrom, which show temperature dependence dominated by hydrophobic attraction. Using O K-edge x-ray absorption we show that small solutes affect hydrogen bonding in water similar to a temperature decrease, while large solutes affect water similar to a temperature increase. Molecular dynamics simulations support, and provide further insight into, the origin of the experimental observations. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3684893]