Ab initio computations with different basis sets (up to 6-31 + G* *) on methylsulfate and N-methylsulfate anions and on the ionic and neutral forms of acetic acid are presented. The atomic charges for the O-sulfo group, computed using the Merz-Kollman method at the highest level of theory, were inserted in a MM2-derived force-field; its current parametrization affords a 0.22 A root-mean-square deviation with respect to five crystal structures of sulfated monosaccharides.