Using low-temperature NMR (
1H,
19F) technique in the slow exchange regime, the solutions containing tetrabutylammonium (TBA) acetate and HF have been studied in an aprotic freon mixture, CDF
3/CDF
2Cl, exhibiting a dielectric permittivity, which increases strongly by lowering the temperature. Two different hydrogen bonded anionic clusters, a 1:1 cluster of the type AcO
δ−![](/images/glyphs/BN9.GIF)
H
![](/images/glyphs/BN9.GIF)
F
−1+δ+ ([AcOHF]
−) and a 2:1 cluster of the type AcOH
![](/images/glyphs/BN9.GIF)
F
−![](/images/glyphs/BN9.GIF)
HOAc ([(AcOH)
2F]
−) have been detected in equilibrium with each other, both forming ion pairs with the TBA countercation. [AcOHF]
− exhibits an extremely strong hydrogen bond, with a proton shared between partially negatively charged oxygen and fluorine atoms. The NMR chemical shifts and scalar spin–spin coupling constants,
1J(FH), have been measured in the temperature range between 110 and 160 K, where separate NMR signals are observed for both species. In addition, H/D isotope effects on the
19F NMR chemical shielding have been measured for both clusters.