Violation of Electrostatic Rules: Shifting the Balance between Pnicogen Bonds and Lone Pair−π Interactions Tuned by Substituents

Unique Dispersion-Induced Tetrel Bond with Co-operative σ-hole-Induced Pnicogen Bond in the POCl3-Acetone Heterodimer: Experimental Confirmation at Low Temperatures

Both tetrel and pnicogen bonds are known to be induced through σ-/π-holes. This work reports computational and experimental evidence of the carbonyl carbon of acetone hosting a tetrel bond by dispersion rather electrostatic forces, for the first time, while phosphorus of POCl₃ sustains pnicogen bonding via the σ-hole. Heterodimers of POCl₃ with acetone (CH₃COCH₃) have been isolated within inert gas matrixes of Ar and N₂ at 12 K. Characteristic vibrational bands at P═O stretching of POCl₃ and C═O stretching of CH₃COCH₃ have been obtained in support of the computations. The potential energy surface has been traced computationally using ab initio and density functional methods. CH₃COCH₃ harboring such a tetrel bond, in itself, is quite intriguing. The interplay of these interactions has been comprehended by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, natural bond orbital, energy decomposition, electrostatic potential mapping, and noncovalent interaction analyses.

The Pnictogen Bond: The Covalently Bound Arsenic Atom in Molecular Entities in Crystals as a Pnictogen Bond Donor

In chemical systems, the arsenic-centered pnictogen bond, or simply the arsenic bond, occurs when there is evidence of a net attractive interaction between the electrophilic region associated with a covalently or coordinately bound arsenic atom in a molecular entity and a nucleophile in another or the same molecular entity. It is the third member of the family of pnictogen bonds formed by the third atom of the pnictogen family, Group 15 of the periodic table, and is an inter- or intramolecular noncovalent interaction. In this overview, we present several illustrative crystal structures deposited into the Cambridge Structure Database (CSD) and the Inorganic Chemistry Structural Database (ICSD) during the last and current centuries to demonstrate that the arsenic atom in molecular entities has a significant ability to act as an electrophilic agent to make an attractive engagement with nucleophiles when in close vicinity, thereby forming σ-hole or π-hole interactions, and hence driving (in part, at least) the overall stability of the system’s crystalline phase. This overview does not include results from theoretical simulations reported by others as none of them address the signatory details of As-centered pnictogen bonds. Rather, we aimed at highlighting the interaction modes of arsenic-centered σ- and π-holes in the rationale design of crystal lattices to demonstrate that such interactions are abundant in crystalline materials, but care has to be taken to identify them as is usually done with the much more widely known noncovalent interactions in chemical systems, halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding. We also demonstrate that As-centered pnictogen bonds are usually accompanied by other primary and secondary interactions, which reinforce their occurrence and strength in most of the crystal structures illustrated. A statistical analysis of structures deposited into the CSD was performed for each interaction type As···D (D = N, O, S, Se, Te, F, Cl, Br, I, arene’s π system), thus providing insight into the typical nature of As···D interaction distances and ∠R–As···D bond angles of these interactions in crystals, where R is the remainder of the molecular entity.

Nitrogen as a pnicogen?: evidence for π-hole driven novel pnicogen bonding interactions in nitromethane-ammonia aggregates using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy and ab initio computations

The role of nitrogen, the first member of the pnicogen group, as an electron donor in hypervalent non-covalent interactions has been established long ago, while observation of its electron accepting capability is still elusive experimentally, and remains quite intriguing, conceptually. In the light of minimal computational exploration of this novel class of pnicogen bonding so far, the present work provides experimental proof with unprecedented clarity, for the existence of N(acceptor)N(donor) interaction using the model nitromethane (NM) molecule with ammonia (AM) as a Lewis base in NM-AM aggregates. The NM-AM dimer, in which the nitrogen atom of NM (as a unique pnicogen) accepts electrons from AM (the traditional electron donor), was synthesized at low temperatures under isolated conditions within inert gas matrixes and was characterized using infrared spectroscopy. The experimental generation of the NM-AM dimer stabilized via NN interaction has strong corroboration from ab initio calculations. Furthermore, confirmation regarding the directional prevalence of this NN interaction over C-HN and N-HO hydrogen bonding is elucidated quantitatively by quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), electrostatic potential mapping (ESP), natural bond orbital (NBO), non-covalent interaction (NCI) and energy decomposition (ED) analyses. The present study also allows the extension of σ-hole/π-hole driven interactions to the atoms of the second period, in spite of their low polarizability.

Dominance of unique Pπ phosphorus bonding with π donors: evidence using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy and computational methodology

Albeit the first account of hypervalentπ interactions has been reported with halogenπ interactions, the feasibility of their extension to other hypervalent atoms as possible Lewis acids is still open. In this work, the role of phosphorus as an acceptor from the π electron cloud (Pπ pnicogen or phosphorus bonding) in PCl3-C2H2 and PCl3-C2H4 heterodimers is explored, by combining matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy with ab initio and DFT computational methodologies. The respective potential energy surfaces of the PCl3-C2H2 and PCl3-C2H4 heterodimers reveal unique minima stabilized by a concert of reasonably strong to weak interactions, of which Pπ phosphorus bonding was energetically dominant. Heterodimers, trimers and tetramers bound primarily by this unique phosphorus bond were generated at low temperatures. The dominance of phosphorus bonding in the PCl3-C2H2 and PCl3-C2H4 heterodimers over other interactions (such as Hπ, HCl, HP, Clπ and lone pair-π interactions) was confirmed and substantiated using extended quantum theory of atoms in molecules, natural bond orbital, electrostatic potential mapping and energy decomposition analyses. The following inferences in correlation with results from non-covalent-interaction analysis offer a complete understanding of the nature of the Pπ phosphorus bonding interactions. The significance of electrostatic forces kinetically favoring the formation of phosphorus bonded heterodimers, in addition to thermodynamic stabilization, is demonstrated experimentally.

Halogen Bonding Between Anions: Association of Anion Radicals of Tetraiodo-p-benzoquinone with Iodide Anions

Halogen bonding between two negatively charged species, tetraiodo-p-benzoquinone anion radicals (I₄ Q^-. ) and iodide anions, was observed and characterized for the first time. X-ray structural and EPR/UV-Vis spectral studies revealed that the anion-anion bonding led to the formation of crystals comprising 2D layers of I₄ Q^-. anion radicals linked by iodides and separated by Et₄ N⁺ counter-ions. Computational analysis suggested that the seemingly antielectrostatic halogen bonds in these systems were formed via a combination of several factors. First, an attenuation of the interionic repulsion by the solvent facilitated close approach of the anions leading to their mutual polarization. This resulted in the appearance of positively charged areas (σ-holes) on the surface of the iodine substituents in I₄ Q^-. responsible for the attractive interaction. Finally, the solid-state associations were also stabilized by multicenter (4:4) halogen bonding between I₄ Q^-. and iodide.

Coordination of a Central Atom by Multiple Intramolecular Pnicogen Bonds

A central pnicogen Z atom (Z = Sb, As) is covalently attached to the O atom of three -O(CH₂)_nX chains where X represents either an aldehyde or amine group. The chain can fold around so that the basic X group can engage in a noncovalent pnicogen bond with the central Z. The formation of up to three pnicogen bonds is energetically favored. The amine appears to engage in stronger pnicogen bonds than does the aldehyde, and bonds to Sb are favored over As, but there is little dependence on the length of the chain. The formation of each successive pnicogen bond reduces the magnitude of the σ-holes surrounding the Z atom, which tends to weaken the attraction for the basic end of the chain.