Coupled‐cluster calculations of indirect nuclear coupling constants: The importance of non‐Fermi contact contributions

On the performance of HRPA(D) for NMR spin-spin coupling constants: Smaller molecules, aromatic and fluoroaromatic compounds

In this study, the performance of the doubles-corrected higher random-phase approximation [HRPA(D)] has been investigated in calculations of nuclear magnetic resonance spin-spin coupling constants (SSCCs) for 58 molecules with the experimental values used as the reference values. HRPA(D) is an approximation to the second-order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) and is, therefore, computationally less expensive than SOPPA. HRPA(D) performs comparable and sometimes even better than SOPPA, and therefore, when calculating SSCCs, it should be considered as an alternative to SOPPA. Furthermore, it was investigated whether a coupled-cluster singles, doubles and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] or Møller-Plesset second order (MP2) geometry optimization was optimal for a SOPPA and a HRPA(D) SSCC calculation for eight smaller molecules. CCSD(T) is the optimal geometry optimization for the SOPPA calculation, and MP2 was optimal for HRPA(D) SSCC calculations.

New pecJ-n (n = 1, 2) Basis Sets for Selenium Atom Purposed for the Calculations of NMR Spin-Spin Coupling Constants Involving Selenium

We present new compact pecJ-n (n = 1, 2) basis sets for the selenium atom developed for the quantum-chemical calculations of NMR spin-spin coupling constants (SSCCs) involving selenium nuclei. These basis sets were obtained at the second order polarization propagator approximation with coupled cluster singles and doubles amplitudes (SOPPA(CCSD)) level with the property-energy consistent (PEC) method, which was introduced in our previous papers. The existing SSCC-oriented selenium basis sets are rather large in size, while the PEC method gives more compact basis sets that are capable of providing accuracy comparable to that reached using the property-oriented basis sets of larger sizes generated with a standard even-tempered technique. This is due to the fact that the PEC method is very different in its essence from the even-tempered approaches. It generates new exponents through the total optimization of angular spaces of trial basis sets with respect to the property under consideration and the total molecular energy. New basis sets were tested on the coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) calculations of SSCCs involving selenium in the representative series of molecules, taking into account relativistic, solvent, and vibrational corrections. The comparison with the experiment showed that the accuracy of the results obtained with the pecJ-2 basis set is almost the same as that provided by a significantly larger basis set, aug-cc-pVTZ-J, while that achieved with a very compact pecJ-1 basis set is only slightly inferior to the accuracy provided by the former.

Quantum Chemical Approaches to the Calculation of NMR Parameters: From Fundamentals to Recent Advances

Quantum chemical methods for the calculation of indirect NMR spin–spin coupling constants and chemical shifts are always in progress. They never stay the same due to permanently developing computational facilities, which open new perspectives and create new challenges every now and then. This review starts from the fundamentals of the nonrelativistic and relativistic theory of nuclear magnetic resonance parameters, and gradually moves towards the discussion of the most popular common and newly developed methodologies for quantum chemical modeling of NMR spectra.

1,2-Dihydro-1,3,2-diazaborinine tautomer as an electron-pair donor in hydrogen-bonded complexes

Ab initio MP2/aug’-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to investigate 1,2-dihydro-1,3,2-diazaborinine:HX complexes for HX = H+, HF, HCl, H2O, HCN, NH3, HCP, and HCCH. Most complexes are stabilized by linear, traditional hydrogen bonds except for those with H2O and NH3, which have bridging structures and nonlinear hydrogen bonds. H-atom transfer from N to B can occur in complexes with HF and HCl, with formation of a traditional F–H···N bond and a proton-shared Cl···H···N bond. The binding energies of the uncharged complexes range from 25 to 88 kJ mol−1. Spin-spin coupling constants have been used to characterize these hydrogen-bonded complexes.

The aug-cc-pVTZ-J basis set for the p-block fourth-row elements Ga, Ge, As, Se, and Br

The aug-cc-pVTZ-J basis set family is extended to include the fourth-row p-block elements Ga, Ge, As, Se, and Br. We use the established approach outlined by Sauer and coworkers (J. Chem. Phys. 115, 1324 [2001], J. Chem. Phys. 133, 054308 [2010], J. Chem. Theory Comput. 7, 4070 [2011], and J. Chem. Theory Comput. 7, 4077 [2011]) where the completely uncontracted aug-cc-pVTZ basis set is saturated with tight s-, p-, d-, and f-functions to form the aug-cc-pVTZ-Juc basis set for the tested elements. The saturation is carried out on the simplest hydrides possible for the tested elements GaH, GeH₄ , AsH₃ , H₂ Se, and HBr until an improvement is less than 0.01% for all s-, p-, and d-functions added. f-Functions are added to an improvement less than or equal to 1.0% due to the computational expense these functions add. The saturated aug-cc-pVTZ-Juc (26s16p12d5f) is then recontracted using the molecular orbital coefficients from self-consistent field calculations on the simple hydrides to improve computational efficiency. During contraction of the basis set, we observe that the linear hydrogen bromide molecule has a slower convergence than the other tested molecules which sets a limit on the accuracy obtained. All calculations with the contracted aug-cc-pVTZ-J [17s10p7d5f] gives results that are within 1.0% of the uncontracted results at considerable computational savings.

Multi-configurational short-range density functional theory can describe spin-spin coupling constants of transition metal complexes

The multi-configurational short-range (sr) density functional theory has been extended to the calculation of indirect spin-spin coupling constants (SSCCs) for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The performance of the new method is compared to Kohn-Sham density functional theory and the ab initio complete active space self-consistent field for a selected set of molecules with good reference values. Two density functionals have been considered, the local density approximation srLDA and srPBE from the GGA class of functionals. All srDFT calculations are of Hartree-Fock-type HF-srDFT or complete active space-type CAS-srDFT. In all cases, the calculated SSCC values are of the same quality for srLDA and srPBE functionals, suggesting that one should use the computationally cost-effective srLDA functionals in applications. For all the calculated SSCCs in organic compounds, the best choice is HF-srDFT; the more expensive CAS-srDFT does not provide better values for these single-reference molecules. Fluorine is a challenge; in particular, the FF, FC, and FO couplings have much higher statistical errors than the rest. For SSCCs involving fluorine and a metal atom CAS-srDFT with singlet, generalized Tamm-Dancoff approximation is needed to get good SSCC values although the reference ground state is not a multi-reference case. For VF₆ ^-1, all other considered models fail blatantly.

An efficient method for generating property-energy consistent basis sets. New pecJ-n (n = 1, 2) basis sets for high-quality calculations of indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants involving 1H, 13C, 15N, and 19F nuclei

This paper presents a new method of generating property-energy consistent (PEC) basis sets that can be applied to any arbitrary molecular property. The PEC method generates a basis set that is optimized for the molecular property under interest, providing the least possible total molecular energy. The main algorithm of the PEC approach involves Monte Carlo simulations to generate random exponents in the predetermined range. In this work, the PEC method is introduced in the example of generation of new pecJ-n (n = 1, 2) basis sets suited for high-quality correlated calculations of indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants involving the most popular NMR-active nuclei: 1H, 13C, 15N, and 19F.

Calculated coupling constants 1 J(X-Y) and 1 K(X-Y), and fundamental relationships among the reduced coupling constants for molecules Hm X-YHn , with X, Y ═ 1 H, 7 Li, 9 Be, 11 B, 13 C, 15 N, 17 O, 19 F, 31 P, 33 S, and 35 Cl

Equation-of-motion coupled-cluster singles and doubles (EOM-CCSD) calculations have been performed to determine coupling constants ¹ J(X-Y) for 65 molecules H_m X-YH_n , with X,Y ═ ¹ H, ⁷ Li, ⁹ Be, ¹¹ B, ¹³ C, ¹⁵ N, ¹⁷ O, ¹⁹ F, ³¹ P, ³³ S, and ³⁵ Cl. The computed ¹ J(X-Y) values are in good agreement with available experimental data. The reduced coupling constants ¹ K(X-Y) have been derived from ¹ J(X-Y) by removing the dependence on the magnetogyric ratios of X and Y. Patterns are found for the reduced coupling constants on a ¹ K(X-Y) surface that are related to the positions of X and Y in the periodic table.

Unusual Complexes of P(CH)3 with FH, ClH, and ClF

Ab initio MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been performed to determine the structures and binding energies of complexes formed by phosphatetrahedrane, P(CH)₃, and HF, HCl, and ClF. Four types of complexes exist on the potential energy surfaces. Isomers A form at the P atom near the end of a P-C bond, B at a C-C bond, C at the centroid of the C-C-C ring along the C₃ symmetry axis, and D at the P atom along the C₃ symmetry axis. Complexes A and B are stabilized by hydrogen bonds when FH and ClH are the acids, and by halogen bonds when ClF is the acid. In isomers C, the dipole moments of the two monomers are favorably aligned but in D the alignment is unfavorable. For each of the monomers, the binding energies of the complexes decrease in the order A > B > C > D. The most stabilizing Symmetry Adapted Perturbation Theory (SAPT) binding energy component for the A and B isomers is the electrostatic interaction, while the dispersion interaction is the most stabilizing term for C and D. The barriers to converting one isomer to another are significantly higher for the A isomers compared to B. Equation of motion coupled cluster singles and doubles (EOM-CCSD) intermolecular coupling constants J(X-C) are small for both B and C isomers. J(X-P) values are larger and positive in the A isomers, negative in the B isomers, and have their largest positive values in the D isomers. Intramolecular coupling constants ¹J(P-C) experience little change upon complex formation, except in the halogen-bonded complex FCl:P(CH₃) A.

Complexes H2 CO:PXH2 and HCO2 H : PXH2 for X=NC, F, Cl, CN, OH, CCH, CH3 , and H: Pnicogen Bonds and Hydrogen Bonds

Ab initio MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to investigate H₂ CO : PXH₂ pnicogen-bonded complexes and HCO₂ H : PXH₂ complexes that are stabilized by pnicogen bonds and hydrogen bonds, with X=NC, F, Cl, CN, OH, CCH, CH₃ , and H. The binding energies of these complexes exhibit a second-order dependence on the O-P distance. DFT-SAPT binding energies correlate linearly with MP2 binding energies. The HCO₂ H : PXH₂ complexes are stabilized by both a pnicogen bond and a hydrogen bond, resulting in greater binding energies for the HCO₂ H : PXH₂ complexes compared to H₂ CO : PXH₂ . Neither the O-P distance across the pnicogen bond nor the O-P distance across the hydrogen bond correlates with the binding energies of these complexes. The nonlinearity of the hydrogen bonds suggests that they are relatively weak bonds, except for complexes in which the substituent X is either CH₃ or H. The pnicogen bond is the more important stabilizing interaction in the HCO₂ H : PXH₂ complexes except when the substituent X is a more electropositive group. EOM-CCSD spin-spin coupling constants ^1p J(O-P) across pnicogen bonds in H₂ CO:PXH₂ and HCO₂ H : PXH₂ complexes increase as the O-P distance decreases, and exhibit a second order dependence on that distance. There is no correlation between ^2h J(O-P) and the O-P distance across the hydrogen bond in the HCO₂ H : PXH₂ complexes. ^2h J(O-P) coupling constants for complexes with X=CH₃ and H have much greater absolute values than anticipated from their O-P distances.

Hydrogen bonds and halogen bonds in complexes of carbones L→C←L as electron donors to HF and ClF, for L = CO, N2, HNC, PH3, and SH2

MP2 and EOM-CCSD calculations have been carried out to determine the structures, binding energies, and spin-spin coupling constants of carbone complexes L→C←L with the carbone the electron donor to HF or ClF, for L = CO, N₂, HNC, PH₃, and SH₂.

RPA(D) and HRPA(D): Two new models for calculations of NMR indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants

In this article, the RPA(D) and HRPA(D) models for the calculation of linear response functions are presented. The performance of the new RPA(D) and HRPA(D) models is compared to the performance of the established RPA, HRPA, and SOPPA models in calculations of indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants using the CCSD model as a reference. The doubles correction offers a significant improvement on both the RPA and HRPA models; however, the improvement is more dramatic in the case of the RPA model. For all coupling types investigated in this study, the results obtained using the HRPA(D) model are comparable in accuracy to those given by the SOPPA model, while requiring between 30% and 90% of the calculation time needed for SOPPA. The RPA(D) model, while of slightly lower accuracy compared to the CCSD model than HRPA(D), offered calculation times of only approximately 25% of those required for SOPPA for all the investigated molecules. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

N…C and S…S Interactions in Complexes, Molecules, and Transition Structures HN(CH)SX:SCO, for X = F, Cl, NC, CCH, H, and CN

Ab initio Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2)/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out in search of complexes, molecules, and transition structures on HN(CH)SX:SCO potential energy surfaces for X = F, Cl, NC, CCH, H, and CN. Equilibrium complexes on these surfaces have C1 symmetry, but these have binding energies that are no more than 0.5 kJ·mol-1 greater than the corresponding Cs complexes which are vibrationally averaged equilibrium complexes. The binding energies of these span a narrow range and are independent of the N-C distance across the tetrel bond, but they exhibit a second-order dependence on the S-S distance across the chalcogen bond. Charge-transfer interactions stabilize all of these complexes. Only the potential energy surfaces HN(CH)SF:SCO and HN(CH)SCl:SCO have bound molecules that have short covalent N-C bonds and significantly shorter S…S chalcogen bonds compared to the complexes. Equation-of-motion coupled cluster singles and doubles (EOM-CCSD) spin-spin coupling constants 1tJ(N-C) for the HN(CH)SX:SCO complexes are small and exhibit no dependence on the N-C distance, while 1cJ(S-S) exhibit a second-order dependence on the S-S distance, increasing as the S-S distance decreases. Coupling constants 1tJ(N-C) and 1cJ(S-S) as a function of the N-C and S-S distances, respectively, in HN(CH)SF:SCO and HN(CH)SCl:SCO increase in the transition structures and then decrease in the molecules. These changes reflect the changing nature of the N…C and S…S bonds in these two systems.

17O and 1H NMR spectral parameters in isolated water molecules

Small amounts of water enriched in oxygen-17 were studied by 17O and 1H NMR in binary gaseous mixtures with Xe, Kr, CHF3 and CH3F and CO2. The distinct linear dependences of 17O and 1H chemical shifts and 1J(17O,1H) spin-spin coupling on the density of every gas solvent were measured. After the extrapolation of experimental results to zero density the relevant parameters in the isolated H217O molecule were determined. The same procedure was applied for H216O when its proton chemical shift was analyzed but the secondary isotope effect in the 1H shielding of H217O and H216O molecules was too small for detection. As shown, all the intermolecular effects in nuclear magnetic shielding are negative and these effects are more significant for 17O nuclei than for protons. It is consistent with the appropriate gas-to-liquid shifts of water which also indicate deshielding effects for both the investigated nuclei. On the other hand, the 1J0(17O,1H) coupling constant in H217O, which is completely free from intermolecular interactions, considerably differs from the 1J(17O,1H) experimental values obtained for water in liquid solutions. The present experimental data of the isolated H217O molecule are compared with selected results of shielding and spin-spin coupling calculations available from the literature and with the recent experimental data for a water molecule encapsulated in the C60 fullerene. Additionally, on the basis of actual results the magnetic dipole moment of the 17O nucleus is revalued for greater accuracy.

Complexes of O=C=S with Nitrogen Bases: Chalcogen Bonds, Tetrel Bonds, and Other Secondary Interactions

Ab initio MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to investigate chalcogen-bond formation through the σ-hole at S and tetrel-bond formation through the π-hole at C in complexes of OCS with a series of nitrogen bases. The binding energies of chalcogen- and tetrel-bonded complexes with the sp-hybridized bases correlate exponentially with the N-S and N-C distances, respectively. The presence of secondary interactions between an N-H or C-H group of an sp2 -hybridized base and OCS in chalcogen-bonded complexes decreases the correlation between binding energies and the N-S distance. These secondary interactions are stronger in the tetrel-bonded complexes with the sp2 bases, particularly in the isomers of OCS:imidazole and OCS : N2 H2 , where they may be described as distorted N-H⋅⋅⋅O or N-H⋅⋅⋅S hydrogen bonds. Charge-transfer interactions are consistent with the nature of the primary and secondary interactions in these complexes. The in-plane OCS bending frequencies are blue-shift in the chalcogen-bonded complexes, and red-shifted in the tetrel-bonded complexes. EOM-CCSD spin-spin coupling constants 1c J(N4-S) across chalcogen bonds have absolute values less than 9.0 Hz, while the two-bond coupling constants 2c J(N4-C) do not exceed 4.0 Hz. These are greater in absolute value that the one-bond coupling constants 1t J(N4-C) across tetrel bonds that are less than 0.5 Hz at much shorter N-C distances.

Complexes of CO₂ with the Azoles: Tetrel Bonds, Hydrogen Bonds and Other Secondary Interactions

Ab initio MP2/aug’-cc-pVTZ calculations have been performed to investigate the complexes of CO₂ with the azoles pyrrole, pyrazole, imidazole, 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-triazole, tetrazole and pentazole. Three types of complexes have been found on the CO₂:azole potential surfaces. These include ten complexes stabilized by tetrel bonds that have the azole molecule in the symmetry plane of the complex; seven tetrel-bonded complexes in which the CO₂ molecule is perpendicular to the symmetry plane; and four hydrogen-bonded complexes. Eight of the planar complexes are stabilized by Nx···C tetrel bonds and by a secondary interaction involving an adjacent Ny-H bond and an O atom of CO₂. The seven perpendicular CO₂:azole complexes form between CO₂ and two adjacent N atoms of the ring, both of which are electron-pair donors. In three of the four hydrogen-bonded complexes, the proton-donor Nz-H bond of the ring is bonded to two C-H bonds, thereby precluding the planar and perpendicular complexes. The fourth hydrogen-bonded complex forms with the strongest acid pentazole. Binding energies, charge-transfer energies and changes in CO₂ stretching and bending frequencies upon complex formation provide consistent descriptions of these complexes. Coupling constants across tetrel bonds are negligibly small, but ^2hJ(Ny-C) across Nz-H···C hydrogen bonds are larger and increase as the number of N atoms in the ring increases.

Unusual acid-base properties of the P4 molecule in hydrogen-, halogen-, and pnicogen-bonded complexes

Ab initio MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to investigate hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding, and pnicogen bonding involving tetrahedral P₄ and the FH, ClH, and FCl molecules. P₄ has three unique interaction sites: at a vertex (designated the P₁ atom); at an edge (the P₂-P₃ bond); and at the P₂-P₃-P₄ face. The uniqueness of molecular P₄ is its ability to act as an electron donor and an electron acceptor at the same site, except for the P₂-P₃ bond, which is only an electron donor. FCl and FH form five different complexes with P₄, but ClH forms only three. The type of complex formed and its binding energy depend on both the interaction site of molecular P₄ and the interacting molecule. For all complexes with FH, ClH, and FCl, the binding energies at a given site with the P₄ molecule acting as the base are greater than the binding energies when P₄ is the acid. Thus, P₄ is a better electron donor than an electron acceptor. Charge-transfer interactions and EOM-CCSD spin-spin coupling constants across hydrogen, halogen, and pnicogen bonds are reported for all of the P₄ complexes. Relative to ¹J(P_i-P_j) in molecular P₄, ¹J(P₁-P₂) coupling constants decrease in absolute value and ¹J(P₂-P₃) coupling constants increase in pnicogen-bonded complexes and the complex with FCl that has a PF halogen bond. Absolute values of ¹J(P₁-P₂) increase and those of ¹J(P₂-P₃) decrease in hydrogen-bonded complexes and complexes with PCl halogen bonds. ¹J(P₁-P₂) and ¹J(P₂-P₃) exhibit a single linear correlation with the corresponding P_i-P_j distances.

Halogen Bonding Involving CO and CS with Carbon as the Electron Donor

MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to investigate the halogen-bonded complexes formed when CO and CS act as electron-pair donors through C to ClF, ClNC, ClCl, ClOH, ClCN, ClCCH, and ClNH₂. CO forms only complexes stabilized by traditional halogen bonds, and all ClY molecules form traditional halogen-bonded complexes with SC, except ClF which forms only an ion-pair complex. Ion-pair complexes are also found on the SC:ClNC and SC:ClCl surfaces. SC:ClY complexes stabilized by traditional halogen bonds have greater binding energies than the corresponding OC:ClY complexes. The largest binding energies are found for the ion-pair SC-Cl⁺:-Y complexes. The transition structures which connect the complex and the ion pair on SC:ClNC and SC:ClCl potential surfaces provide the barriers for inter-converting these structures. Charge-transfer from the lone pair on C to the σ-hole on Cl is the primary charge-transfer interaction stabilizing OC:ClY and SC:ClY complexes with traditional halogen bonds. A secondary charge-transfer occurs from the lone pairs on Cl to the in-plane and out-of-plane π antibonding orbitals of ClY. This secondary interaction assumes increased importance in the SC:ClNH₂ complex, and is a factor leading to its unusual structure. C-O and C-S stretching frequencies and 13C chemical shieldings increase upon complex formation with ClY molecules. These two spectroscopic properties clearly differentiate between SC:ClY complexes and SC-Cl⁺:-Y ion pairs. Spin-spin coupling constants 1xJ(C-Cl) for OC:ClY complexes increase with decreasing distance. As a function of the C-Cl distance, 1xJ(C-Cl) and ¹J(C-Cl) provide a fingerprint of the evolution of the halogen bond from a traditional halogen bond in the complexes, to a chlorine-shared halogen bond in the transition structures, to a covalent bond in the ion pairs.

Lone-Pair Hole on P: P···N Pnicogen Bonds Assisted by Halogen Bonds

Ab initio MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations have been performed on the binary complexes XY:PH₃ for XY = ClCl, FCl, and FBr; and PH₃:N-base for N-base = NCH, NH₃, NCF, NCCN, and N₂; and the corresponding ternary complexes XY:PH₃:N-base, to investigate P···N pnicogen bond formation through the lone-pair hole at P in the binary complexes and P···N pnicogen-bond formation assisted by P···Y halogen bond formation through the σ-hole at Y. Although the binary complexes PH₃:N-base that form through the lone-pair hole have very small binding energies, they are not equilibrium structures on their potential surfaces. The presence of the P···Y halogen bond makes PH₃ a better electron-pair acceptor through its lone-pair hole, leading to stable ternary complexes XY:PH₃:N-base. The halogen bonds in ClCl:PH₃ and ClCl:PH₃:NCCN are traditional halogen bonds, but in the remaining binary and ternary complexes, they are chlorine- or bromine-shared halogen bonds. For a given nitrogen base, the P···N pnicogen bond in the ternary complex FCl:PH₃:N-base appears to be stronger than that bond in FBr:PH₃:N-base, which is stronger than the P···N bond in the corresponding ClCl:PH₃:N-base complex. EOM-CCSD spin-spin coupling constants for the binary and ternary complexes with ClCl and FCl are also consistent with the changing nature of the halogen bonds in these complexes. At long P-Cl distances, the coupling constant ^1xJ(P-Cl) increases with decreasing distance but then decreases as the P-Cl distance continues to decrease, and the halogen bonds become chlorine-shared bonds. At the shorter distances, ^1xJ(P-Cl) approaches the value of ¹J(P-Cl) for the cation ⁺(Cl-PH₃). The coupling constants ^1pJ(P-N) are small and, with one exception, are greater in ClCl:PH₃:N-base complexes compared to that in FCl:PH₃:N-base, despite the shorter P-N distances in the latter.

Importance of Triples Contributions to NMR Spin-Spin Coupling Constants Computed at the CC3 and CCSDT Levels

We present the first analytical implementation of CC3 second derivatives using the spin-unrestricted approach. This allows, for the first time, the calculation of nuclear spin-spin coupling constants (SSCC) relevant to NMR spectroscopy at the CC3 level of theory in a fully analytical manner. CC3 results for the SSCCs of a number of small molecules and their fluorine substituted derivatives are compared with the corresponding coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) results obtained using specialized basis sets. For one-bond couplings the change when going from CCSD to CC3 is typically 1-3%, but much higher corrections were found for ¹J_CN in FCN, 15.7%, and ¹J_OF in OF₂, 6.4%. The changes vary significantly in the case of multibond couplings, with differences of up to 10%, and even 13.6% for ³J_FH in fluoroacetylene. Calculations at the coupled cluster singles, doubles, and triples (CCSDT) level indicate that the most important contributions arising from connected triple excitations in the coupled cluster expansion are accounted for at the CC3 level. Thus, we believe that the CC3 method will become the standard approach for the calculation of reference values of nuclear spin-spin coupling constants.

Using one halogen bond to change the nature of a second bond in ternary complexes with P⋯Cl and F⋯Cl halogen bonds

Ab initio MP2/aug’-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to determine the effect of the presence of one halogen bond on the nature of the other in ternary complexes H₂XP:ClF:ClH and H₂XP:ClF:ClF, for X = F, Cl, H, NC, and CN. The P⋯Cl bonds remain chlorine-shared halogen bonds in the ternary complexes H₂XP:ClF:ClH, although the degree of chlorine sharing increases relative to the corresponding binary complexes. The F⋯Cl bonds in the ternary complexes remain traditional halogen bonds. The binding energies of the complexes H₂XP:ClF:ClH increase relative to the corresponding binary complexes, and nonadditivities of binding energies are synergistic. In contrast, the presence of two halogen bonds in the ternary complexes H₂XP:ClF:ClF has a dramatic effect on the nature of these bonds in the four most strongly bound complexes. In these, chlorine transfer occurs across the P⋯Cl halogen bond to produce complexes represented as (H₂XP–Cl)⁺:⁻(F:ClF). In the ion-pair, the cation is also halogen bonded to the anion by a Cl⋯F⁻ halogen bond, while the anion is stabilized by an ⁻F⋯Cl halogen bond. The central ClF molecule no longer exists as a molecule. The binding energies of the ternary H₂XP:ClF:ClF complexes are significantly greater than the binding energies of the H₂XP:ClF:ClH complexes, and nonadditivities exhibit large synergistic effects. The Wiberg bond indexes for the complexes H₂XP:ClF, H₂XP:ClF:ClH, and H₂XP:ClF:ClF, and the cations (H₂XP–Cl)⁺ reflect the changes in the P–Cl and Cl–F bonds. Similarly, EOM-CCSD spin–spin coupling constants are also consistent with the changes in these same bonds. In particular, ^1xJ(P–Cl) in H₂XP:ClF complexes becomes ¹J(P–Cl) in the ternary complexes with chlorine-transferred halogen bonds. A plot of these coupling constants shows a change in the curvature of the trendline as chlorine-shared halogen bonds in H₂XP:ClF:ClH become chlorine-transferred halogen bonds in H₂XP:ClF:ClF. ^1xJ(F–Cl) coupling constants also reflect changes in the nature of F⋯Cl halogen bonds.

Boron as an Electron-Pair Donor for B⋅⋅⋅Cl Halogen Bonds

MP2/aug'-cc-pVTZ calculations were performed to investigate boron as an electron-pair donor in halogen-bonded complexes (CO)₂ (HB):ClX and (N₂ )₂ (HB):ClX, for X=F, Cl, OH, NC, CN, CCH, CH₃ , and H. Equilibrium halogen-bonded complexes with boron as the electron-pair donor are found on all of the potential surfaces, except for (CO)₂ (HB):ClCH₃ and (N₂ )₂ (HB):ClF. The majority of these complexes are stabilized by traditional halogen bonds, except for (CO)₂ (HB):ClF, (CO)₂ (HB):ClCl, (N₂ )₂ (HB):ClCl, and (N₂ )₂ (HB):ClOH, which are stabilized by chlorine-shared halogen bonds. These complexes have increased binding energies and shorter B-Cl distances. Charge transfer stabilizes all complexes and occurs from the B lone pair to the σ* Cl-A orbital of ClX, in which A is the atom of X directly bonded to Cl. A second reduced charge-transfer interaction occurs in (CO)₂ (HB):ClX complexes from the Cl lone pair to the π* C≡O orbitals. Equation-of-motion coupled cluster singles and doubles (EOM-CCSD) spin-spin coupling constants, ^1x J(B-Cl), across the halogen bonds are also indicative of the changing nature of this bond. ^1x J(B-Cl) values for both series of complexes are positive at long distances, increase as the distance decreases, and then decrease as the halogen bonds change from traditional to chlorine-shared bonds, and begin to approach the values for the covalent bonds in the corresponding ions [(CO)₂ (HB)-Cl]⁺ and [(N₂ )₂ (HB)-Cl]⁺ . Changes in ¹¹ B chemical shieldings upon complexation correlate with changes in the charges on B.