In this paper, using density functional theory, we show the effects of explicit intermolecular hydrogen bonds on infrared spectra of glucose-water complexes. The number of explicit water molecules ranges from four to nine, and we approximate the rest of other water molecules as a continuum medium. When eight or nine water molecules are considered explicitly, our computed spectra are in good agreement with the main features of the experimental one. However, in the cases of explicit water molecules less than eight, our computed spectra are not improved successfully. This suggests that in predicting infrared spectrum of glucose in water the effects of explicit water molecules around the glucose molecule are not negligible. We also discuss the numbers of intermolecular hydrogen bonds, spectral differences between alpha and beta anomers, and the main features of normal modes in the 1000-1200 cm(-1) region. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.