Onset of three-centre, four-electron bonding in peri-substituted acenaphthenes: a structural and computational investigation

Two series of sterically crowded peri-substituted acenaphthenes have been prepared, containing mixed halogen-chalcogen functionalities at the 5,6-positions in A1-A6 (Acenap[X][EPh] (Acenap = acenaphthene-5,6-diyl; X = Br, I; E = S, Se, Te) and chalcogen-chalcogen moieties in A7-A12 (Acenap[EPh][E'Ph] (Acenap = acenaphthene-5,6-diyl; E/E' = S, Se, Te). The related dihalide compounds A13-A16 Acenap[XX'] (XX' = BrBr, II, IBr, ClCl) have also been prepared. Distortion of the acenaphthene framework away from the ideal was studied as a function of the steric bulk of the interacting halogen and chalcogen atoms occupying the peri-positions. The acenaphthene series experiences a general increase in peri-separation for molecules accommodating heavier congeners and maps the trends observed previously for the analogous naphthalene compounds N1-N12 (Nap[X][EPh], Nap[EPh][E'Ph] (X = Br, I; E/E' = S, Se, Te). The conformation of the aromatic ring systems and subsequent location of p-type lone-pairs dominates the geometry of the peri-region. The differences in peri-separations observed for compounds adopting differing conformations of the peri-substituted phenyl group can be correlated to the ability of the frontier orbitals of the halogen or chalcogen atoms to take part in attractive or repulsive interactions. Density-functional studies have confirmed these interactions and suggested the onset of formation of three-centre, four-electron bonding under appropriate geometric conditions.

Synthetic and structural studies of 1,8-chalcogen naphthalene derivatives

Four novel 1,8-disubstituted naphthalene derivatives 4-7 that contain chalcogen atoms occupying the peri positions have been prepared and fully characterised by using X-ray crystallography, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and MS. Molecular distortion due to noncovalent substituent interactions was studied as a function of the bulk of the interacting chalcogen atoms and the size and nature of the alkyl group attached to them. X-ray data for 4-7 was compared to the series of known 1,8-bis(phenylchalcogeno)naphthalenes 1-3, which were themselves prepared from novel synthetic routes. A general increase in the E...E' distance was observed for molecules containing bulkier atoms at the peri positions. The decreased S...S distance from phenyl-1 and ethyl-4 analogues is ascribed to a weaker chalcogen lone pair-lone pair repulsion acting in the ethyl analogue due to the presence of two equatorial S(naphthyl) ring conformations. Two novel peri-substituted naphthalene sulfoxides of 1, Nap(O=SPh)(SPh) 8 and Nap(O=SPh)(2) 9, which contain different valence states of sulfur, were prepared and fully characterised by using X-ray crystallography and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and MS. Molecular structures were analysed by using naphthalene ring torsions, peri-atom displacement, splay angle magnitude, S...S interactions, aromatic ring orientations and quasi-linear O=S...S arrangements. The axial S(naphthyl) rings in 8 and 9 are unfavourable for S...S contacts due to stronger chalcogen lone pair-lone pair repulsion. Although quasi-linear O=S...S alignments suggest attractive interaction is conceivable, analysis of the B3LYP wavefunctions affords no evidence for direct bonding interactions between the S atoms.

Insignificance of P−H···P Hydrogen Bonding: Structural Chemistry of Neutral and Protonated 1,8-Di(phosphinyl)naphthalene

While there is extensive information on 1,8-di(amino)naphthalene (i.e., the parent compound of the "proton sponge" series), the corresponding phosphorus compound has not been described. A high-yield synthesis of 1,8-di(phosphinyl)naphthalene (9) and the 1-naphthylphosphine reference compound (4) is now reported. Thermal decomposition of 9 leads to intramolecular dehydrogenative P-P coupling to afford 1,2-dihydro-1,2-diphosphaacenaphthene (10). Protonation of 9 and 4 with CF(3)SO(3)H gives quantitative yields of the monophosphonium salts 11 and 5, respectively. With excess acid and traces of moisture, the hydronium salt [C(10)H(6)(PH(2))(PH(3))](+)[H(3)O](+)2[CF(3)SO(3)](-) (13) is obtained. The structures of 9, 11, and 13 have been determined. Molecules of 9 have a planar naphthalene skeleton, C(10)H(6)P(2), with the two -PH(2) groups in a transoid conformation. The molecules form loose dimers in the crystal, the individual chiral enantiomers of which are related by a center of inversion. In contrast to the situation for the amino analogue, and despite the proximity of the two -PH(2) functions, there is no intra- or intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Solutions of 9 (in CD(2)Cl(2)) show equivalent P-bound hydrogen atoms due to conformational fluctionality. By analysis of the ABCD(2)XX'D'(2)C'B'A' spin system, it was shown that, in 9, there are strong through-space pericouplings [(n)J(P(X)P(X)(')) = 221.6 Hz, (n)J(P(X)H(D)(')) = 31.7 Hz, (n)J(H(D)H(D)(')) = 3.9 Hz]. In the cations of 11, the C(10)H(6)P(2) skeleton is also planar (by C(s) symmetry), with the -PH(2) and -PH(3)(+) groups in a conformation which rules out any P-H...P hydrogen bonding. The hydronium cation and the two triflate anions in 13 are associated into an anionic network through extensive hydrogen bonding surrounding stacks of the phosphonium cations. In solution, the cations of 11 and 13 show separate (31)P resonances for the two phosphorus atoms with fully resolved (1)J(PH) couplings, which indicate that there is no intra- or intercationic proton exchange. By contrast, the NMR spectra of solutions of [C(10)H(6)(NH(2))(NH(3))](+)X(-) salts show proton scrambling equilibrating all five N-bound hydrogen atoms, and in the crystal, the conformations of the cations feature intramolecular N-H...N hydrogen bonding.