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Density functional theory method and B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory were used to determine the acidity of alkyl sulfonic acids and polyolalkyl sulfonic acids in the gas and solution (H₂O, DMSO, and CH₃CN) phase. Polarized continuum model was applied to calculate pK_a values of alkyl sulfonic acids and polyolalkyl sulfonic acids. A comparison between acidity of alkyl sulfonic acids and polyolalkyl sulfonic acids in the gas and solution phase indicates that the acidity strength of polyolalkyl sulfonic acids enhances with the increase of the cooperativity effect of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in polyolalkyl sulfonic acids. Natural bond orbital and quantum theory of atoms in molecules analyses also confirm the role of cooperativity effect on the acidity of polyolalkyl sulfonic acids. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.