Theoretical investigation on geometries and aromaticity of mixed boron-, nitrogen- and furanoxo-containing five-membered rings B2N2OHp (p=0–2)

Fluoromaticity: The Molecular Orbital Contributions of Fluorine Substituents to the π-Systems of Aromatic Rings

The addition of fluorine atoms to an aromatic ring brings about an additional set of π-bonding and antibonding orbitals culminating after the addition of the sixth fluorine with a new set of π-aromatic-like orbitals that affect the molecule in a way that we will refer to hereafter as "fluoromaticity". Depending on the number and position of the fluorine atoms, the contributed π-orbitals can even further stabilize the ring leading to smaller bond lengths within the ring and higher resistance to addition reactions. This added ring stability partially explains the high thermostability and chemical resistance found in polymers containing fluorinated aromatics in their architecture. A similar molecular orbital effect is seen with the addition of other halogen atoms to aromatic rings, though to a much smaller degree and not resulting in the additional ring stability.

A theoretical study on the strength of the C-NO2 bond and ring strain upon the formation of the intermolecular H-bonding interaction between HF and nitro group in nitrocyclopropane, nitrocyclobutane, nitrocyclopentane or nitrocyclohexane

As a follow-up to our investigation into the influence of H-bond on the C-NO2 trigger bond, a comparison of the effect of the H-bond on the ring strain energy with the C-NO2 bond dissociation energy was carried out in the HF complex with nitrocyclopropane, nitrocyclobutane, nitrocyclopentane, and nitrocyclohexane by using the DFT-B3LYP and MP2 (full) methods with the 6-311++G(2df,2p) and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The C-NO2 bond length decreases with strengthening of trigger-bond while the ring perimeter increases companied by weakening of ring strain upon the complex formation. The H-bonding energy correlates well with the increment of ring perimeter and the change of ring bond angle. For nitrocyclopropane∙∙∙HF, the effect of H-bond on the ring strain energy is notable, while for the other complex, it is negligible. Therefore, for nitrocyclopropane∙∙∙HF, the origin of the change of explosive sensitivity might be due to the increment of the C-NO2 bond dissociation energy and decrease of the ring strain energy, while for the other complex, it might be only due to the strengthening of C-NO2 bond. The analysis of electron density shifts shows that the C-C bond in ring loses density while the C-NO2 bond gains density, leading to the weakened ring strain and strengthened C-NO2 bond, and thus the possibly reduced explosive sensitivity.

A B3LYP AND MP2(FULL) THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE C–NO2 BOND STRENGTH UPON THE FORMATION OF HF OR Na+ COMPLEX INVOLVING THE NITRO GROUP OF NITRO-1,2,4-TRIAZOLE

The change of bond dissociation energy (ΔBDE) in the C–NO2 bond upon the formation of the intermolecular hydrogen-bonding or molecule-cation interaction between the nitro group of seven kinds of nitro-1,2,4-triazoles and HF or Na+ was investigated using the B3LYP and MP2(full) methods with the 6-311++G**, 6-311++G(2df, 2p) and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. The C–NO2 bond strength was enhanced and the charge of nitro group turned more negative in complex in comparison with those in isolated nitro-1,2,4-triazole molecule. The increment of the C–NO2 BDEs correlated well with the H-bonding interaction energy or molecule-cation interaction energy. The analysis of AIM, NBO and electron density shifts showed that the electron density shifted toward the C–NO2 bond upon complex formation, leading to the strengthened C–NO2 bond and the possibly reduced explosive sensitivity. The ΔBDE of the C–NO2 bond in the Na+ complex is far larger greater than that in the corresponding HF system. Thus, introducing cation into the structure of the nitrotriazole might be more efficacious to reduce explosive sensitivity than the formation of the intermolecular hydrogen-bonded complex.

A comparative theoretical investigation into the strength of the trigger-bond in the Na⁺, Mg²⁺ and HF complexes involving the nitro group of R-NO₂ (R = -CH₃, -NH₂ and -OCH₃) or the C = C bond of (E)-O₂N-CH = CH-NO₂

A comparative theoretical investigation into the change in strength of the trigger-bond upon formation of the Na(+), Mg(2+) and HF complexes involving the nitro group of RNO₂ (R = -CH₃, -NH₂, -OCH₃) or the C = C bond of (E)-O₂N-CH = CH-NO₂ was carried out using the B3LYP and MP2(full) methods with the 6-311++G**, 6-311++G(2df,2p) and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets. Except for the Mg(2+)⋯π system with (E)-O2N-CH = CH-NO₂ (i.e., C₂H₂N₂O₄⋯Mg(2+)), the strength of the trigger-bond X-NO₂ (X = C, N or O) was enhanced upon complex formation. Furthermore, the increment of bond dissociation energy of the X-NO₂ bond in the Na(+) complex was far greater than that in the corresponding HF system. Thus, the explosive sensitivity in the former might be lower than that in the latter. For C₂H₂N₂O₄⋯Mg(2+), the explosive sensitivity might also be reduced. Therefore, it is possible that introducing cations into the structure of explosives might be more efficacious at reducing explosive sensitivity than the formation of an intermolecular hydrogen-bonded complex. AIM, NBO and electron density shifts analyses showed that the electron density shifted toward the X-NO₂ bond upon complex formation, leading to a strengthened X-NO₂ bond and possibly reduced explosive sensitivity.