Detailed Visualization of Aromaticity Using Isotropic Magnetic Shielding

Update for Isomerization Stabilization Energies: The Fulvenization Approach

An alternative approach for calculating aromatic stabilization energies is proposed based on transforming an (anti)aromatic ring into a fulvene isomer. This fulvenization process gives a value of 34.05 kcal·mol-1 for benzene in the singlet state and a value of -17.85 kcal·mol-1 in the triplet state. Additionally, it is possible to use experimental values (as long as they exist) for the calculation as the gas-phase formation enthalpies of benzene and fulvene, whose difference is 33.72 kcal·mol-1. On the other hand, this same approach has been evaluated on several six-membered rings, including those persubstituted, biradicals, azines, and inorganic analogues, giving results in agreement with those reported in the literature using different criteria. Additionally, it is possible to differentiate the aromaticity of the rings in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons according to Clar's rules. Assigning the (anti)aromatic character in various nonbenzenoid rings (neutral and charged), except for five- and seven-membered rings, is also possible. The construction of the fulvene isomers in PAHs is set such that nonaromaticity-related effects are not considered. The results show that the fulvenization approach is an effective and efficient approach that can serve as an alternative or complement to existing tools.

Aromaticity and Magnetic Behavior in Benzenoids: Unraveling Ring Current Combinations

Nowadays, an active research topic is the connection between Clar's rule, aromaticity, and magnetic properties of polycyclic benzenoid hydrocarbons. In the present work, we employ a meticulous magnetically induced current density analysis to define the net current flowing through any cyclic circuit, connecting it to aromaticity based on the ring current concept. Our investigation reveals that the analyzed polycyclic systems display a prominent global ring current, contrasting with subdued semi-local and local ring currents. These patterns align with Clar's aromatic π-sextets only in cases where migrating π-sextet structures are invoked. The results of this study will enrich our comprehension of aromaticity and magnetic behavior in such systems, offering significant insights into coexisting ring current circuits in these systems.

How Different are the Diamagnetic and Paramagnetic Contributions to Off-Nucleus Shielding in Aromatic and Antiaromatic Rings?

The spatial variations in the diamagnetic and paramagnetic contributions to the off-nucleus isotropic shielding, σ i s o r = σ i s o d r + σ i s o p r ${\ {{\sigma }_{{\rm i}{\rm s}{\rm o}}\left({\bf r}\right)=\ \sigma }_{{\rm i}{\rm s}{\rm o}}^{{\rm d}}\left({\bf r}\right)+{\sigma }_{{\rm i}{\rm s}{\rm o}}^{{\rm p}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ , and to the zz component of the off-nucleus shielding tensor, σ z z r = σ z z d r + σ z z p r ${{{\sigma }_{zz}\left({\bf r}\right)=\sigma }_{zz}^{{\rm d}}\left({\bf r}\right)+{\sigma }_{zz}^{{\rm p}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ , around benzene (C₆ H₆ ) and cyclobutadiene (C₄ H₄ ) are investigated using complete-active-space self-consistent field wavefunctions. Despite the substantial differences between σ i s o r ${{\sigma }_{{\rm i}{\rm s}{\rm o}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ and σ z z r ${{\sigma }_{zz}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ around the aromatic C₆ H₆ and the antiaromatic C₄ H₄ , the diamagnetic and paramagnetic contributions to these quantities, σ i s o d r ${{\sigma }_{{\rm i}{\rm s}{\rm o}}^{{\rm d}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ and σ z z d r ${{\sigma }_{zz}^{{\rm d}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ , and σ i s o p r ${{\sigma }_{{\rm i}{\rm s}{\rm o}}^{{\rm p}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ and σ z z P r ${{\sigma }_{zz}^{{\rm P}}\left({\bf r}\right)}$ , are found to behave similarly in the two molecules, shielding and deshielding, respectively, each ring and its surroundings. The different signs of the most popular aromaticity criterion, the nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS), in C₆ H₆ and C₄ H₄ are shown to follow from a change in the balance between the respective diamagnetic and paramagnetic contributions. Thus, the different NICS values for antiaromatic and antiaromatic molecules cannot be attributed to differences in the ease of access to excited states only; differences in the electron density, which determines the overall bonding picture, also play an important role.

Visualisation of Chemical Shielding Tensors (VIST) to Elucidate Aromaticity and Antiaromaticity

Aromaticity is a central concept in chemistry, pervading areas from biochemistry to materials science. Recently, chemists also started to exploit intricate phenomena such as the interplay of local and global (anti)aromaticity or aromaticity in non-planar systems and three dimensions. These phenomena pose new challenges in terms of our fundamental understanding and the practical visualisation of aromaticity. To overcome these challenges, a method for the visualisation of chemical shielding tensors (VIST) is developed here that allows for a 3D visualisation with quantitative information about the local variations and anisotropy of the chemical shielding. After exemplifying the method in different planar hydrocarbons, we study two non-planar macrocycles to show the unique benefits of the VIST method for molecules with competing π-conjugated systems and conclude with a norcorrole dimer showing clear evidence of through-space aromaticity. We believe that the VIST method will be a highly valuable addition to the computational toolbox.