2D 1H-15N HMBC NMR acquired at natural abundance and DMSO titration monitored by 1D 1H NMR verified the existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond that was designed to mimic the pyrimidinone ring of a class of kinase inhibitors. A scalar coupling across the hydrogen bond was detected in organic and aqueous solvent, suggesting a simple and general approach for testing the propensity of intramolecular hydrogen bonds to stabilize pseudo-rings in drug scaffolds.