We present new theoretical results indicating the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between deprotonated glycine molecules (glycinate) on a Cu(110) surface. It is shown that these hydrogen bonds can be probed through the use of x-ray absorption spectroscopy, with surprisingly large effects in the electronic structure. We propose that the (3x2)pg LEED pattern observed for the most stable species of glycinate on the surface is explained by the formation of more than one hydrogen bond per molecule. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.