Quantum chemical studies of non-covalent interactions between the ethyl cation and rare gases

The interplay and strength of the π⋯HF, C⋯HF, F⋯HF and F⋯HC hydrogen bonds upon the formation of multimolecular complexes based on C2H2⋯HF and C2H4⋯HF small dimers

The conception of this theoretical research was idealized aiming to unveil the intermolecular structures of complexes formed by acetylene or ethylene and hydrofluoric acid. At light of computational calculations by using the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method, the geometries of the C₂H₂⋯(HF), C₂H₂⋯2(HF), C₂H₂⋯4(HF), C₂H₄⋯(HF), C₂H₄⋯2(HF) and C₂H₄⋯4(HF) hydrogen-bonded complexes were fully optimized. Moreover, the Post-Hartree-Fock calculations MP2/6-311++G(d,p), MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ, MP4(SDQ)/6-311++G(d,p) and CCSD/6-311++G(d,p) also were also used. The infrared spectra were analyzed in order to identify the new vibrational modes and frequencies of the proton donors shifted to red region. Through the modeling of charge-fluxes on the basis of the Quantum Theory of Atoms In Molecules (QTAIM) and, by contradicting the expectation of the hydrofluorination mechanisms of acetylene or ethylene, C⋯HF was recognized as a new type of hydrogen bond instead of the already well known π⋯H. The calculations of the Natural Bonding Orbital (NBO) and Charges derived from the Electrostatic Potential Grid-based (ChElPG) were also applied to interpret the shifting frequencies as well as measuring of the punctual charge-transfer after the formation of the complexes. Finally, the determination of the stabilization energy was carried out through the arguments of the Fock matrix in NBO basis and through the supermolecule approach. Also it is worthwhile to notice that some algebraic formulations were used for determining the electronic cooperative effect (CE).

New insights about the hydrogen bonds formed between acetylene and hydrogen fluoride: π⋯H, C⋯H and F⋯H

A theoretical study of hydrogen bond strength and bond properties in the C₂H₂⋯(HF)-T, C₂H₂⋯2(HF)-T, C₂H₂⋯2(HF), C₂H₂⋯3(HF) and C₂H₂⋯4(HF) complexes was carried out at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) theory level. In these systems, a strength competition between the π⋯H and C⋯H interactions was examined. Specifically the F⋯H hydrogen bond, its properties were studied through a comparison between the hydrogen fluoride and the higher-order complexes (trimer, tetramer and pentamer). Regarding the electronic properties, the hydrogen bond strength could not be determined by the supermolecule approach. Thus, the hydrogen bond energies were computed via NBO calculations. Additionally to NBO, the ChelpG charge calculations were used to interpret the intermolecular charge transfer. The QTAIM integrations were useful to predict the covalent character of the π⋯H, C⋯H and F⋯H hydrogen bonds. Moreover, values of hybrid orbitals (s and p) and atomic radii were also determined in order to justify the red shifts in the stretch frequencies of the HF bonds.