A comparative study of the bonding in heteroatom analogues of benzene

Relativistic effects on the aromaticity of E3M3H3 (E = C–Pb; M = N–Bi) benzene analogues

The relativistic effects on the aromaticity of a set of benzene analogues, E₃M₃H₃ (E = C–Pb; M = N–Bi) heterocycles, using magnetically induced current density (MICD) and the NICS_zz component of the conventional nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS), is hereby examined.

The planarity of heteroatom analogues of benzene: Energy component analysis and the planarization of hexasilabenzene

There are various nonplanar heteroatom analogues of benzene-cyclic 6π electron systems-and among them, hexasilabenzene (Si₆ H₆ ) is well known as a typical example. To determine the factors that control their planarity, quantum chemical calculations and an energy component analysis were performed. The results show that the energy components mainly controlling the planarity of benzene and hexasilabenzene are different. For hexasilabenzene, electron repulsion energy was found to be significantly important for the planarity. The application of the pseudo Jahn-Teller effect and the Carter-Goddard-Malrieu-Trinquier model for the interpretation of the planarity of the benzene analogues was also investigated. Furthermore, based on the quantitative results, it was revealed that the planarization of hexasilabenzene is realized by introducing substituents with π-accepting ability, such as the boryl group, that bring about a reduction of the π-electron repulsion on the silicon skeleton. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pnictogen-Silicon Analogues of Benzene

Since the discovery of the first "inorganic benzene" (borazine, B3N3H6), the synthesis of other noncarbon derivatives is an ongoing challenge in Inorganic Chemistry. Here we report on the synthesis of the first pnictogen-silicon congeners of benzene, the triarsa- and the triphospha-trisilabenzene [(PhC(NtBu)2)3Si3E3] (E = P (1a), As (1b)) by a simple metathesis reaction. These compounds are formed by the reaction of [Cp″2Zr(η(1:1)-E4)] (E = P, As; Cp″ = C5H3tBu2) with [PhC(NtBu)2SiCl] in toluene at room temperature along with the silicon pnictogen congeners of the cyclobutadiene, [(PhC(NtBu)2)2Si2E2] (E = P (2a), As (2b)), which is unprecedented for the arsenic system 2b. All compounds were comprehensively characterized, and density functional theory calculations were performed to verify the stability and the aromatic character of the triarsa- and the triphospha-trisilabenzene.

A comprehensive analysis of molecule-intrinsic quasi-atomic, bonding, and correlating orbitals. I. Hartree-Fock wave functions

Through a basis-set-independent web of localizing orbital-transformations, the electronic wave function of a molecule is expressed in terms of a set of orbitals that reveal the atomic structure and the bonding pattern of a molecule. The analysis is based on resolving the valence orbital space in terms of an internal space, which has minimal basis set dimensions, and an external space. In the internal space, oriented quasi-atomic orbitals and split-localized molecular orbitals are determined by new, fast localization methods. The density matrix between the oriented quasi-atomic orbitals as well as the locations of the split-localized orbitals exhibit atomic populations and inter-atomic bonding patterns. A correlation-adapted quasi-atomic basis is determined in the external orbital space. The general formulations are specified in detail for Hartree-Fock wave functions. Applications to specific molecules exemplify the general scheme.

THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF ALUMAZINE⋯M COMPLEXES (M = Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+, AND Ca2+)

The nature of alumazine⋯M ( M = Li+ , Na+ , K+ , Be2+ , Mg2+ , AND Ca2+ ) interactions was studied by ab initio calculations. The interaction energies were calculated at MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level. The calculations suggest that the size and charge of cation are two important factors that affect the interaction energy, charge transfer values and the variation in aromaticity of alumazine ring upon complexation. The theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses of complexes indicate that the variation of densities and the extent of charge shifts upon complexation correlate well with the obtained interaction energies. Finally, nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) method was applied for evaluating the variation in aromaticity of alumazine ring upon complexation.

THE SUBSTITUTION EFFECT ON THE AROMATICITY OF SOME N-PHENYLACETAMIDE DERIVATIVES: A DFT STUDY

The relative aromaticity of some N-phenylacetamide (NPA) derivatives were investigated in which the NPA was substituted by NO2, CN, CF3, Br, Cl, F, H, CH3 , and NH2 groups at two meta and para positions. For this purpose, density functional theory calculations were applied at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level to calculate the aromaticity indices including nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS), harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity (HOMA) and harmonic oscillator model of electron delocalization (HOMED). The obtained results indicated that the aromaticity of derivatives decreased in the order of NO 2 > CN > CF 3 > Br > Cl > F > H > CH 3 > NH 2 for both meta and para positions. Furthermore, the resulting order was directly related to the electron withdrawing and electron releasing strengths of the substituents. Finally, it was found that all the aromaticity indices of have a good correlation with the Hammett constant.

Some novel molecular frameworks involving representative elements

Several new molecular frameworks with interesting structures, based on clusters of main group elements have been studied at different levels of theory with various basis sets. Conceptual density functional theory based reactivity descriptors and nucleus independent chemical shift provide important insights into their bonding, reactivity, stability and aromaticity.

Alumazene Adducts with Pyridines: Synthesis, Structure, and Stability Studies

Lewis acid-base adducts of the alumazene [2,6-(i-Pr)2C6H3NAlMe]3 (1) with pyridine (py) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (dmap) were synthesized and structurally characterized: 1(py)2 (2), 1(py)3 (3), 1(dmap)2 (4), and 1(py)(dmap) (5). The bisadducts 2, 4, and 5 form the trans isomers. The trisadduct 3 exhibits an unexpected cis-cis isomer and can be prepared only in the presence of excess py. The planarity of the alumazene ring is lost upon coordination of the Lewis base molecules. A comparison of the Al-N(base) bond distances and pyramidality at Al suggests the higher basicity of dmap. NMR spectroscopy confirms stability to dissociation of the bisadducts in solution while the trisadduct 3 is labile and converts to 2. The thermodynamics of the adduct formation has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. Thermodynamic characteristics of the 1(py)n (n=2, 3) dissociation reactions in the temperature range 25-200 degrees C have been derived from the vapor pressure-temperature dependence measurements by the static tensimetric method. In all experiments, excess py was employed. Quantum chemical computations at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory have been performed for the 1(py)n and model complexes [HAlNH]3(py)n (n=1-3). Obtained results indicate that for the gas phase adducts upon increasing the number of py ligands the donor-acceptor Al-N(py) distance increases in accord with decreasing donor-acceptor bond dissociation energies.

An energetic measure of aromaticity and antiaromaticity based on the Pauling-Wheland resonance energies

Various criteria based on geometric, energetic, magnetic, and electronic properties are employed to delineate aromatic and antiaromatic systems. The recently proposed block-localized wave function (BLW) method evaluates the original Pauling-Wheland adiabatic resonance energy (ARE), defined as the energy difference between the real conjugated system and the corresponding virtual most stable resonance structure. The BLW-derived ARE of benzene is 57.5 kcal mol(-1) with the 6-311+G** basis set. Kistiakowsky's historical experimental evaluation of the stabilization energy of benzene (36 kcal mol(-1)), based on heats of hydrogenation, seriously underestimates this quantity due to the neglect of the partially counterbalancing hyperconjugative stabilization of cyclohexene, employed as the reference olefin (three times) in Kistiakowsky's evaluation. Based instead on the bond-separation-energy reaction involving ethene, which has no hyperconjugation, as well as methane and ethane, the experimental resonance energy of benzene is found to be 65.0 kcal mol(-1). We derived the "extra cyclic resonance energy" (ECRE) to characterize and measure the extra stabilization (aromaticity) of conjugated rings. ECRE is the difference between the AREs of a fully cyclically conjugated compound and an appropriate model with corresponding, but interrupted (acyclic) conjugation. Based on 1,3,5-hexatriene, which also has three double bonds, the ECRE of benzene is 36.7 kcal mol(-1), whereas based on 1,3,5,7-octatetraene, which has three diene conjugations, the ECRE of benzene is 25.7 kcal mol(-1). Computations on a series of aromatic, nonaromatic, and antiaromatic five-membered rings validate the BLW-computed resonance energies (ARE). ECRE data on the five-membered rings (derived from comparisons with acyclic models) correlate well with nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) and other quantitative aromaticity criteria. The ARE of cyclobutadiene is almost the same as butadiene but is 10.5 kcal mol(-1) less than 1,3,5-hexatriene, which also has two diene conjugations. The instability and high reactivity of cyclobutadiene thus mainly result from the sigma-frame strain and the pi-pi Pauli repulsion.

Direct estimate of conjugation and aromaticity in cyclic compounds with the EDA method

The nature of the interatomic interactions in cyclic conjugated molecules has been investigated with the Energy Decomposition Analysis (EDA). The focus of this work is on the strength of the pi bonding and pi conjugation in carbocyclic and heterocyclic molecules. The calculated deltaE(pi) values suggest that the EDA may be used directly for estimating the strength of pi conjugation in aromatic, homoaromatic, homoantiaromatic and antiaromatic compounds. The theoretical data show a pattern which agrees with the 4n + 2 rule. The extra aromatic stabilization energy has been obtained by comparing cyclic conjugation with the strength of pi conjugation in acyclic reference compounds. The deltaE(pi) values indicate that benzene is significantly stabilized by aromatic stabilization, but the total pi bonding contribution to the carbon-carbon bonding becomes even more stabilizing when the geometry is distorted toward a D(3h) form which has three long and three short C-C bonds. The D(6h) equilibrium structure is enforced by the sigma orbital interactions and by the quasiclassical electrostatic attraction. The VRE and ASE values suggest that pyridine is more strongly stabilized by aromatic conjugation than benzene. The EDA data of the six-membered cyclic 6pi species C5H5E (E = CH, N-Bi) and (HB = NH)3 predicts strength of aromatic stabilization in the order N > CH > P > As > Bi >> borazine. The ASE values of the five-membered heterocyclic systems C4H4E (E = NH, O, S) are smaller than for the benzene analogues showing the order NH approximately S > O. The ASE value for Cp is very small which probably comes from the choice of the reference system. The VRE results indicate that Cp is strongly stabilized by cyclic conjugation. The ASE values for the cyclic singlet carbenes indicate weak aromatic stabilization in the 2pi system cyclopropenylidene which is much stronger in the 6pi compound cycloheptatrienylidene while the 4pi molecule cylopentadienylidene is clearly antiaromatic. The triplet states of all three cyclic carbenes are antiaromatic. The strength of the pi conjugation in the homoconjugated cyclic compounds suggests weak aromatic stabilization in the 6pi compounds 1,3-cyclobutene and 1,3-cyclopentadiene but weak antiaromatic destabilization in the 2pi compound cyclopropene and in the 8pi molecules 1,3-cyclohexadiene and 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene. The 4n + 2 rule thus holds also for homoconjugated systems. A large negative value for the ASE is calculated for 1,3-cyclobutadiene.

Triazolium-Based Energetic Ionic Liquids

The energetic ionic liquids formed by the 1,2,4-triazolium cation family and dinitramide anion are investigated by ab initio quantum chemistry calculations, to address the following questions: How does substitution at the triazolium ring's nitrogen atoms affect its heat of formation, and its charge delocalization? What kind of ion dimer structures might exist? And, do deprotonation reactions occur, as a possible first step in the decomposition of these materials?

Y-Aromaticity: Why Is the Trimethylenemethane Dication More Stable than the Butadienyl Dication?

[reactions: see text] Resonance energies of the trimethylenemethane dication (1) and the butadienyl dication (4) were evaluated using two independent computational methodologies to provide insight into the validity of Y-aromaticity. One methodology employed density functional theory calculations and examined the resonance contribution of the C=C double bond toward the double hydride abstraction enthalpies of methylpropene (6) and 2-butene (8), yielding 1 and 4, respectively. These resonance contributions by the double bond were determined by calculating the double hydride abstraction enthalpies of both the parallel and perpendicular conformations of vinylogues of 6 and 8, in which n = 1-4 vinyl units were inserted between the central carbon-carbon double bond and each of the reaction centers. Extrapolation of the resonance contribution in each vinylogue to n = 0 yielded the resonance contribution in the respective parent molecules. The second methodology employed an orbital deletion procedure (ODP), which effectively allowed us to examine the energies of individual resonance structures. The resonance energy of each dication is computed as the difference between the most stable resonance structure and that of the delocalized species. The two methodologies are in agreement, suggesting that the resonance energy of the trimethylenemethane dication is substantially greater than that of the butadienyl dication. The origin of this difference in resonance stabilization is discussed.

Structure, reactivity and aromaticity of acenes and their BN analogues: a density functional and electrostatic investigation

Density functional calculations have been carried out on a series of linearly annelated acenes and their BN analogues. Even though borazine shows aromatic and reactivity behavior parallel with that of benzene, its condensed derivatives show patterns different from those of their hydrocarbon analogues. Nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) values in acenes suggest that the aromaticity of the inner rings is more than that of benzene, whereas in BN-acenes there is no substantial change in the aromaticity of the individual rings. Molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) is employed to obtain further insights into the bonding and reactivity trends for these systems. The MESP topography patterns of acenes and BN-acenes are substantially different, with BN-acenes showing more localized pi electron features compared to those of acenes. The MESP values at the critical points (CPs) indicate overall lowering of aromaticity in these annelated systems. However, this change is gradual among the BN-acenes.

Resonance Effect in the Allyl Cation and Anion: A Revisit

The interest over the magnitude of the conjugation effect in the allyl cation (1) and anion (2) has been revived recently by Barbour and Karty (J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 648-654), who derived the resonance energies of 20-22 and 17-18 kcal/mol for 1 and 2, respectively, using an empirical extrapolation approximation. This paper revisits the case by explicitly calculating the Pauling-Wheland resonance energy, which measures the stabilization from the most stable resonance structure to the delocalized energy-minimum state of a conjugated system, using our newly developed block-localized wave function (BLW) method. This BLW method has the geometrical optimization capability. The computations result in adiabatic resonance energies of 37 kcal/mol for 1 and 38 kcal/mol for 2. The significant disagreement between these values and Barbour and Karty's results originates from the neglect of structural and electronic variations in their derivation which are energy costing.

"True" inorganic heterocycles: structures and stability of group 13-15 analogues of benzene and their dimers

Group 13-15 inorganic analogues of benzene, [HMYH](3) (M = B, Al, Ga; Y = N, P, As), mixed heterocycles of the type [BAlGaNPAs]H(6) and their dimers have been theoretically examined at the B3LYP/TZVP level of theory. Six different isomers have been structurally characterized for the mixed compounds [BAlGaNPAs]H(6). B-N bonding strongly (about approximately 90-100 kJ mol(-)(1)) stabilizes the mixed heterocycles, followed by the preference of the Al-N bonded structures over Ga-N bonded ( approximately 30-40 kJ mol(-1)), while B-P bonding is slightly (5-10 kJ mol(-1)) more favorable compared to B-As. Thus, the bonding pattern is predicted to be the most stable, followed by the core. Processes of [HMYH](3) formation from donor-acceptor complexes H(3)MYH(3) are predicted to be thermodynamically favorable for all MY combinations. Dimerization reactions of the coordinationally unsaturated [HMYH](3) heterocycles yielding hexamer clusters [HMYH](6) are found to be exothermic, with the exception of borazine, for which, as for benzene, dimerization is strongly endothermic due to the aromaticity of C(6)H(6) and [HBNH](3). Despite the high endothermicity of [HBNH](3) dimerization, the B-N bond formation is the driving force of the dimerization of mixed species [BAlGaNPAs]H(6). The dimerization enthalpies of [BAlGaNPAs]H(6) may be both exo- and endothermic, depending on the bonding pattern of the isomers. A complete set of mean MY bond energies in four- and six-membered cycles of [HMYH](6) was derived. The MY energies were found to be transferable quantities and may serve for a qualitative prediction of the relative stability of different isomers of mixed cluster compounds. [BAlGaNPAs](2)H(12) clusters are promising synthetic targets, they are expected to serve as single-source precursors for the stoichiometry-controlled CVD processes of the group 13-15 composites. A strategy of their synthesis and the most suitable starting systems have been also predicted.

A theoretical study of the structures, energetics, stabilities, reactivities, and out-of-plane distortive tendencies of skeletally substituted benzenes (CH)(5)XH and (CH)(4)(XH)(2) (X = B(-), N(+), Al(-), Si, P(+), Ga(-), Ge, and As(+))

Ab initio molecular orbital theory at Hartree-Fock (HF), post-Hartree-Fock (MP2 and CCSD(T)), and the hybrid density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations were done on the mono-(CH)(5)XH and diskeletally substituted (CH)(4)(XH)(2) benzenes (X = B(-), N(+), Al(-), Si, P(+), Ga(-), Ge, and As(+)). The computed relative energies of the disubstituted isomers show interesting trends. While the ortho-isomer is the most stable for X = Ga(-), Ge, and As(+), meta was found to be the most stable for X = B(-), N(+), Al(-) and Si, and para was found to be the most stable for X = P(+). Various intricate factors that govern the relative stabilities, such as the sum of bond strengths in the twin Kekule forms, rule of topological charge stabilization (TCS), and electrostatic repulsion were critically examined. The sum of bond strengths in the twin Kekule forms was proved to be quite a successful measure in predicting the relative stability orders between ortho- and meta-/para-isomers. The rule of TCS breaks down especially in the presence of overwhelming factors such as the differences in the cumulative bond strengths of the two positional isomers; however, the stability ordering between the para- and meta-isomers is successfully predicted in most cases. The tendency for ring puckering increases a great deal especially when the substituents are from 3rd or 4th row. Extension of the popular inverse relationship between the thermodynamic stability and reactivity was found to be inapplicable for this class of compounds. The computed singlet-triplet energy differences and the chemical hardness (eta) values indicate that the skeletal substitution weakens the pi-strength of the benzenoid system and increases their reactivity.

THE CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF MCSCF WAVEFUNCTIONS

The multiconfiguration self-consistent field (MCSCF) method offers the most general approach to the computation of chemical reactions and multiple electronic states. This review discusses the design of MCSCF wavefunctions for treating these problems and the interpretation of the resulting orbitals and configurations. In particular, localized orbitals are convenient both for selection of the appropriate active space and for understanding the computed results. The computational procedures for optimizing these wavefunctions and the techniques for recovery of dynamical correlation energy are reviewed.

Aromaticity in X(3)Y(3)H(6) (X = B, Al, Ga; Y = N, P, As), X(3)Z(3)H(3) (Z = O, S, Se), and Phosphazenes. Theoretical Study of the Structures, Energetics, and Magnetic Properties

A systematic estimation of aromaticity in X(3)Y(3)H(6), 1, (X = B, Al, Ga; Y = N, P, As), P(3)N(3)H(6), 2, and X(3)Z(3)H(3), 3 (Z = O, S, Se), has been conducted using structural, energetic, and magnetic criteria. Estimates based on aromatic stabilization energy (ASE) calculations predict that 1BN (1; X = B, Y = N) and 1BP are equally aromatic. Contrary to this, we have found, from magnetic susceptibility exaltation (MSE) and from the nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) data at the B3LYP/6-31G level, that 1BN is not aromatic while 1BP is. This emphasizes the fact that energetic and magnetic criteria need not be parallel. On the basis of MSE and NICS values, all 1XP compounds show strong aromatic character; 1XAs are borderline aromatic while 1XN compounds are nonaromatic. Despite being aromatic, all 1XP and 1XAs compounds are found to prefer nonplanar geometries. MSE and NICS criteria can also diverge quite strongly; this has been observed in the X(3)Z(3)H(3) family. MSE values for 3BS, 3BSe, 3AlO, 3AlS, and 3GaS are more than half of the MSE value for benzene, indicating substantial aromatic character. However, NICS estimates point to the contrary; none of the type 3 compounds are aromatic. The problem with the ASE and MSE is that both depend on the choice of the reference systems while NICS, which avoids the need for reference molecules, is impossible to vary experimentally. In spite of this epistemological deficiency of NICS, we find it complementary to the ASE and MSE criteria. Despite the existence of a large number of well-established structures and substantial aromatic stabilization energy, phosphazenes, 2, are not aromatic according to NICS data.