Cooperative Halogen Bond, Tetrel Bond and Van Der Waals Interaction Coexisting in the CO2, CO and XY (X=Cl, Br; Y=F, Cl, Br) Trimeric Complexes

Halogen-Decorated Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient and Selective CO2 Capture, Separation, and Chemical Fixation with Epoxides under Mild Conditions

In the present work, three novel halogen-appended cadmium(II) metal-organic frameworks [Cd2(L1)2(4,4'-Bipy)2]n·4n(DMF) (1), [Cd2(L2)2(4,4'-Bipy)2]n·3n(DMF) (2), and [Cd(L3)(4,4'-Bipy)]n·2n(DMF) (3) [where L1 = 5-{(4-bromobenzyl)amino}isophthalate; L2 = 5-{(4-chlorobenzyl)amino}isophthalate; L3 = 5-{(4-fluorobenzyl)amino}isophthalate; 4,4'-Bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine; and DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide] have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by various analytical techniques. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that all the MOFs feature a similar type of three-dimensional structure having a binuclear [Cd2(COO)4(N)4] secondary building block unit. Moreover, MOFs 1 and 2 contain one-dimensional channels along the b-axis, whereas MOF 3 possesses a 1D channel along the a-axis. In these MOFs, the pores are decorated with multifunctional groups, i.e., halogen and amine. The gas adsorption analysis of these MOFs demonstrate that they display high uptake of CO2 (up to 5.34 mmol/g) over N2 and CH4. The isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst) value for CO2 at zero loadings is in the range of 18-26 kJ mol-1. In order to understand the mechanism behind the better adsorption of CO2 by our MOFs, we have also performed configurational bias Monte Carlo simulation studies, which confirm that the interaction between our MOFs and CO2 is stronger compared to those with N2 and CH4. Various noncovalent interactions, e.g., halogen (X)···O, Cd···O, and O···O, between CO2 and the halogen atom, the Cd(II) metal center, and the carboxylate group from the MOFs are observed, respectively, which may be a reason for the higher carbon dioxide adsorption. Ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) calculations of MOF 1 demonstrate that the obtained selectivity values for CO2/CH4 (50:50) and CO2/N2 (15:85) are ca. 28 and 193 at 273 K, respectively. However, upon increasing the temperature to 298 K, the selectivity value (S = 34) decreases significantly for the CO2/N2 mixture. We have also calculated the breakthrough analysis curves for all the MOFs using mixtures of CO2/CH4 (50:50) and CO2/N2 (50:50 and 15:85) at different entering gas velocities and observed larger retention times for CO2 in comparison with other gases, which also signifies the stronger interaction between our MOFs and CO2. Moreover, due to the presence of Lewis acidic metal centers, these MOFs act as heterogeneous catalysts for the CO2 fixation reactions with different epoxides in the presence of tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB), for conversion into industrially valuable cyclic carbonates. These MOFs exhibit a high conversion (96-99%) of epichlorohydrin (ECH) to the corresponding cyclic carbonate 4-(chloromethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-one after 12 h of reaction time at 1 bar of CO2 pressure, at 65 °C. The MOFs can be reused up to four cycles without compromising their structural integrity as well as without losing their activity significantly.

Theoretical treatment of IO-X (X = N2, CO, CO2, H2O) complexes

Iodine monoxide (IO) is an important component of the biogeochemical cycle of iodine. For instance, it is present in the troposphere, where it plays a crucial role in the physical chemical processes involving iodine containing compounds. Here, we present a theoretical study on a series of atmospherically relevant complexes of IO with N₂, CO, CO₂ and H₂O, where their structural and spectroscopic properties and their interaction energies are computed. Calculations are carried out by means of ab initio post Hartree-Fock (RCCSD(T) and RMP2) methods and density functional theory DFT (PBE0 and M05-2X) based approaches with and without the inclusion of dispersion correction. After comparison to RCCSD(T), we highlight the good performance of M05-2X(+D3) DFT in describing the bonding between IO and X (X = N₂, CO, CO₂, H₂O). Moreover, we found that the IO-X (X = N₂, CO, CO₂, H₂O) complexes are formed by non-covalent interactions between the two monomers. In sum, we characterized two types of complexes: I-bonded and O-bonded, where the former is more stable. The atmospheric implications of the present findings are also discussed such as in the formation of the iodine oxide particles (IOPs).

Cooperative Effect of Noncovalent Interactions on Tetrel Bonding in Halogenated Silanes

Tetrel bond, a weak noncovalent interaction between the  σ -hole of a Group IV element (Silicon in our case) and the cloud of an electronegative element (Oxygen in our case) is the focus of current work. The percentage strengthening of tetrel bond has been investigated by optimising 16 binary complexes of halogenated silane and water of general formula SiX n H 4 - n  - H 2 O and 16 ternary complexes, of general formula NaX - SiX n H 4 - n  -H 2 O, where X =F, Cl, Br and I and n = 1, 2, 3 and 4 at various levels of theory defined within the formalism of density functional theory (DFT). With the addition of NaX, tetrel bond between Si and O in SiX n H 4 - n  - H 2 O gets strengthened up to 49%, owing to cooperativity effect exerted by hydrogen bonding between X and H in the ternary complex NaX - SiX n H 4 - n  - H 2 O. In the series of complexes studied here, overall stabilization due to cooperativity lies between 10 kJ/mol to 170 kJ/mol. This large extent of reinforcement due to cooperativity has never been showcased before. The exceptional stabilization and reinforcement owe its genesis to the transformation of the ternary complex into a cluster orchestrated by the H-bonding in most of the cases and covalent bonding in few of the cases.

Strengthening of halogen bond in XCl∙∙∙FH∙∙∙F- through cooperativity with a strong hydrogen bond and proton transfer

A theoretical calculation has been performed for the ternary complexes XCl∙∙∙FH∙∙∙F^- (X = CCH, CN, OH, NC, and F) and the corresponding binary complexes. The halogen bond in the dyad is very weak with the interaction energy less than 2.5 kcal/mol. Interestingly, the halogen bond gets a big enhancement when it combines with a very strong hydrogen bond in FH∙∙∙F^-, and the largest interaction energy is up to ∼25.6 kcal/mol in FCl∙∙∙FH∙∙∙F^-. The enhancement of halogen bond not only results in a larger elongation of X-Cl bond and a bigger redshift of the bond stretch vibration but also makes the blue-shifting halogen bond in NCCl∙∙∙FH be a red-shifting one in NCCl∙∙∙FH∙∙∙F^-. The halogen bond belongs to a purely close-shell interaction in the dyad, while it becomes a partially covalent interaction in XCl∙∙∙FH∙∙∙F^- (X = OH, NC, and F) with negative energy density. In FH∙∙∙F^-, the proton is shared between the two F atoms, however, this proton transfers towards the F^- end in XCl∙∙∙FH∙∙∙F^-.

Competition and cooperativity of hydrogen-bonding and tetrel-bonding interactions involving triethylene diamine (DABCO), H2O and CO2in air

Triethylene diamine (DABCO) can interact with H₂O and CO₂in air to form dimeric and trimeric complexesviahydrogen bond, tetrel bond as well as van der Waals interactions.

Substituent effect of the stacking interaction between carbon monoxide and benzene

Noncovalent interactions (NCIs) between carbon monoxide and substituted benzene were investigated at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level. rThe results of interaction energy analysis indicated different effects for the electron-donating (-NH₂, -OH, -CH₃) and electron-withdrawing (-F, -CN, -NO₂) groups on the CO⋯PhX complex. Atoms in molecules analysis confirmed the NCIs between CO and PhX. NCI analysis revealed that these interactions belong to van der Waals interactions. The electron density shift of the complexes was investigated with electron density difference analysis. Ternary CO⋯PhX⋯Bz complexes were designed to study the interplay between CO⋯π and π⋯π stacking interactions.

Intermolecular interactions between σ- and π-holes of bromopentafluorobenzene and pyridine: computational and experimental investigations

The characters of σ- and π-holes of bromopentafluorobenzene (C6F5Br) enable it to interact with an electron-rich atom or group like pyridine which possesses an electron lone-pair N atom and a π ring. Theoretical studies of intermolecular interactions between C6F5Br and C5H5N have been carried out at the M06-2X/aug-cc-pVDZ level without and with the counterpoise method, together with single point calculations at M06-2X/TZVP, wB97-XD/aug-cc-pVDZ and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ levels. The σ- and π-holes of C6F5Br exhibiting positive electrostatic potentials make these sites favorably interact with the N atom and the π ring of C5H5N with negative electrostatic potentials, leading to five different dimers connected by a σ-holen bond, a σ-holeπ bond or a π-holeπ bond. Their geometrical structures, characteristics, nature and spectroscopy behaviors were systematically investigated. EDA analyses reveal that the driving forces in these dimers are different. NCI, QTAIM and NBO analyses confirm the existence of intermolecular interactions formed via σ- and π-holes of C6F5Br and the N atom and the π ring of C5H5N. The experimental IR and Raman spectra gave us important information about the formation of molecular complexes between C6F5Br and C5H5N. We expect that the results could provide valuable insights into the investigation of intermolecular interactions involving σ- and π-holes.

Computational investigations of intermolecular interactions between electron-accepting bromo- and iodo-pentafluorobenzene and electron-donating furan and thiophene

C₆F₅X (X = Br, I) exhibits intriguing σ- and π-hole characters, which enable it to accept electrons from the electron-rich atoms or groups in C₄H₄O and C₄H₄S via various intermolecular interactions.

Competition and cooperativity of σ-hole and π-hole intermolecular interactions between carbon monoxide and bromopentafluorobenzene

The electronic complementary relationship between C₆F₅Br and CO enables them to interact with each other via σ-hole and π-hole intermolecular interactions.

Cooperative halogen bonds in V-shaped H3N·X1X2·X3Y (X1, X2, X3 = Cl and Br; Y = F, Cl and Br) complexes

The dihalogen molecule can simultaneously interact with NH₃ and another dihalogen molecule, forming a V-shaped trimer via cooperative halogen bonds.