What is meant by the term hydrophobic interactions?
Hydrophobic interactions are those which, in aqueous solution, tend to repel and avoid the water molecules. Examples would be the interaction of CH3 moities with each each other. CF3 has particularly strong hydrophobic interactions. The result of hydrophobic interactions can be molecules which fold in on themselves avoid the water. The opposite are hydrophilic interactions which can be largely OH and NH2 groups. Those tend to interact with the water and open up in water solution. Some of the most interesting aqueous solutions are of molecules which contain hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions tightly bound. Soaps and detergents are among the simplest such molecules.
