Extremal acidity of Rees polycyanated hydrocarbons in the gas phase and DMSO – a density functional study

Enhancing and modulating the intrinsic acidity of imidazole and pyrazole through beryllium bonds

The structure and electronic properties of the complexes formed by the interaction of imidazole and pyrazole with different BeXH(BeX2) (X = H, Me, F, Cl) derivatives have been investigated via B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) calculations. The formation of these azole:BeXH(BeX2) complexes is accompanied by a dramatic enhancement of the intrinsic acidity of the azole, as the deprotonated azole is much more stable after the aforementioned interaction. Most importantly, the increase in acidity is so large that the azole:BeXH or azole:BeX2 complexes behave as NH acids, which are stronger than typical oxyacids such as phosphoric acid and oxalic acid. Interestingly, the increase in acidity can be tuned through appropriate selection of the substituents attached to the Be atom, permitting us to modulate the electron-accepting ability of the BeXH or BeX2 molecule.

Enhanced acidity of cyclopenta-2,4-dienylborane and its Al and Ga analogues. The role of aromatization

The intrinsic acidity of cyclopenta-2,4-dienylborane and its Al and Ga analogues has been compared to that of cyclopentadiene by means of B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//CCSD/6-311+G(d,p) calculations. Substitution of one of the H atoms of the C(sp(3))H(2) group of cyclopentadiene by an XH(2) (X = B, Al, Ga) leads to an acidity enhancement which is significantly large for the boron derivative (95 kJ mol(-1)); but much smaller for the Al and Ga containing analogues. This acidity enhancement reflects the stabilization of the anion, in the substituted derivatives, due to a significant reinforcement of the C-X bond. This enhancement is however smaller than expected because, although XH(2) (X = B, Al, Ga) substitution leads to a significant aromatization of the neutral compounds, the aromaticity significantly decreases upon deprotonation, whereas for the unsubstituted parent compound is the other way around. Cyclopenta-2,4-dienylborane and its Al and Ga analogues behave as highly fluxional systems.

Physical origin of chemical phenomena: Interpretation of acidity, basicity, and hydride affinity by trichotomy paradigm

Some of the most important aspects of modeling in chemistry are discussed in detail. It is argued that the interpretive side of (quantum) chemistry is indispensable, since it gives sense to a myriad of experimental and computational results. The usefulness of some physical modeling is illustrated by the trichotomy approach in rationalizing acidity, basicity, and hydride affinities of neutral organic compounds. According to trichotomy paradigm, the simple chemical reaction of protonation and H- attachment can be decomposed into three separate sequential steps, which in turn mirror the initial-, intermediate-, and final-state effects. Ample evidence is given, which convincingly shows that the trichotomy approach has some distinct advantages in interpreting aforementioned properties that belong to the most important ones in chemistry and biochemistry.