Theoretical prediction of donor-acceptor type novel complexes with strong noble gas-boron covalent bond

The experimental identification of NgBeO molecules, followed by the recent theoretical exploration of super-strong NgBO+ (Ng = He-Rn) ions motivated us to investigate the stability of iso-electronic NgBNH+ (Ng = He-Rn) ions using various ab initio-based quantum chemical methods. The hydrogen-like chemical behavior of gold in small clusters and molecules also inspired us to study the nature of the bonding interactions in NgBNAu+ ions compared to that in NgBNH+ ions. The calculated Ng-B bond lengths in the predicted ions have been found to be much lower than the corresponding covalent limits, indicating a covalent Ng-B interaction in both the NgBNH+ and NgBNAu+ ions. In addition, the Ng-B bond dissociation energies are found to be in the range of 136.7-422.8 kJ mol-1 for NgBNH+ and 77.4-319.1 kJ mol-1 for NgBNAu+, implying the stable nature of the predicted ions. Interestingly, the Ng-B bond length (except for Ne) is the lowest reported to date together with the highest He-B and Ne-B binding energies considering all the neutral and cationic complexes containing Ng-B bonding motifs. Moreover, the natural bonding orbital (NBO) and electron density-based atoms-in-molecule (AIM) analysis reveal the covalent nature of the Ng-B bond in the predicted ions. Furthermore, the energy decomposition analysis together with the natural bond orbital in the chemical valence (EDA-NOCV) studies indicate that the orbital interaction energy is the main contributor to the total attraction energy in the Ng-B bonds. All the calculated results indicate the hydrogen-like chemical behavior of gold in the predicted NgBNM+ ions, showing further evidence of the concept of "gold-hydrogen analogy". Also, for comparison, the corresponding Cu and Ag analogs are investigated. All the computed results together with the experimental identification of the NgMX (Ng = Ar-Xe; M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = F, Cl), ArOH+, and NgBeO (Ng = Ar-Xe) systems clearly indicate that it may be possible to prepare and characterize the predicted NgBNM+ ions experimentally using suitable technique(s).

Prediction of donor-acceptor-type novel noble gas complexes in the triplet electronic state

Closed-shell noble gas (Ng) compounds in the singlet electronic state have been extensively studied in the past two decades after the revolutionary discovery of ¹HArF molecule. Motivated by the experimental identification of very strong donor-acceptor-type singlet-state Ng complex ¹ArOH⁺, in the present article, for the first time, we report new donor-acceptor-type noble gas complexes in the triplet electronic state (³NgBeN⁺ (Ng = He-Rn)), where most of the Ng-Be bond lengths are smaller than the corresponding covalent limits. The newly proposed complexes are predicted to be stable by various computational tools, including coupled-cluster and multireference-based methods, with strong Ng-Be bonding (40.4-196.2 kJ mol^-1). We have also investigated ³NgBeP⁺ (Ng = He-Rn) complexes for the purpose of comparison. Various computational results, including the structural parameters, bonding energies, vibrational frequencies, and atoms-in-molecule properties suggest that it may be possible to prepare and characterize these triplet state complexes through suitable experimental technique(s).

Superstrong Chemical Bonding of Noble Gases with Oxidoboron (BO+) and Sulfidoboron (BS+)

Inspired by the overwhelming exploration of noble gas-boron (Ng-B) bond containing chemical compounds, the stability of the Ng bound BY⁺ and AlY⁺ (Y = O and S) has been investigated by using various ab initio based quantum chemical methods. Ng atoms are found to form exceptionally strong bonds with BO⁺ species in the predicted NgBO⁺ (Ng = He-Rn) complexes with remarkably high Ng-B dissociation energies ranging from 138.0 to 462.2 kJ mol^-1 for the He-Rn series. It is the highest ever Ng-B binding energy in conjunction with the smallest Ng-B bond length for any of the cationic species involving a Ng-B bond as reported until today. More importantly, the calculated Ng-B bond lengths have been found to be much lower than the respective covalent limits in both NgBO⁺ and NgBS⁺ ions. The electronegativity difference between O and S atoms has been reflected nicely in the Ng-B and Ng-Al binding energies, which are found to be 91.9-346.5, 9.6-169.2, and 6.8-142.1 kJ mol^-1 in NgBS⁺, NgAlO⁺, and NgAlS⁺, respectively. The strong covalent bonding between Ng and B/Al atoms in the predicted chemical systems has also been supported by the natural bonding orbital (NBO) and electron density based atoms-in-molecule (AIM) analysis. In addition, the energy decomposition analysis (EDA) in combination with the natural bond orbital for chemical valence (NOCV) indicates that the orbital interaction term is the prime contributor to the total attraction energy in the Ng-B and Ng-Al bonds. Furthermore, Ng-B and Ng-Al bonding can be assessed using the donor-acceptor model where the σ-electron donation that takes place from Ng (HOMO) → XY⁺ (LUMO) (X = B and Al; Y = O and S) is the major contributor to the orbital interaction energy. All the computational results along with the very recent experimental observation of ArOH⁺ and NgMX (Ng = Ar-Xe; M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = F, Cl) clearly indicate that it might be possible to synthesize and characterize these superstrong complexes, NgXY⁺ (Ng = He-Rn; X = B and Al; Y = O and S), under suitable experimental technique(s).

Stability-Order Reversal in FSiY and FYSi (Y = N and P) Molecules after the Insertion of a Noble Gas Atom

Recent theoretical prediction and experimental identification of fluorinated noble gas cyanides and isocyanides motivate us to explore a unique novel series of neutral noble gas-inserted heavier cyanofluoride isomers, FNgYSi and FNgSiY (Ng = Kr, Xe, and Rn; Y = N and P), theoretically using quantum chemical calculations. The concerned minima and saddle point geometries have been optimized using DFT, MP2, and CCSD(T) methods. The precursor molecule FSiY is more stable than its isomer FYSi, and the stability order is found to be reversed after the insertion of a noble gas (Ng) atom into them which is in contrast to the previously reported FCN/FNC systems where the stability order in the precursors remains intact after the insertion of a Ng atom into them. The predicted FNgYSi molecules are metastable in nature as they are kinetically stable but thermodynamically unstable with respect to the global minima products (FYSi and Ng). All the calculations for the corresponding FNgSiY molecules clearly indicate that the less stable FNgSiY behaves similarly to the FNgYSi in all respects. The energetics, force constant, and spectroscopic data strongly reinforce the possibility of occurrence of these predicted FNgYSi and FNgSiY molecules which might be experimentally realized under suitable cryogenic condition(s).

Noble-Noble Strong Union: Gold at Its Best to Make a Bond with a Noble Gas Atom

This Review presents the current status of the noble gas (Ng)‐noble metal chemistry, which began in 1977 with the detection of AuNe⁺ through mass spectroscopy and then grew from 2000 onwards; currently, the field is in a somewhat matured state. On one side, modern quantum chemistry is very effective in providing important insights into the structure, stability, and barrier for the decomposition of Ng compounds and, as a result, a plethora of viable Ng compounds have been predicted. On the other hand. experimental achievement also goes beyond microscopic detection and characterization through spectroscopic techniques and crystal structures at ambient temperature; for example, (AuXe₄)²⁺(Sb₂F₁₁⁻)₂ have also been obtained. The bonding between two noble elements of the periodic table can even reach the covalent limit. The relativistic effect makes gold a very special candidate to form a strong bond with Ng in comparison to copper and silver. Insertion compounds, which are metastable in nature, depending on their kinetic stability, display an even more fascinating bonding situation. The degree of covalency in Ng–M (M=noble metal) bonds of insertion compounds is far larger than that in non‐insertion compounds. In fact, in MNgCN (M=Cu, Ag, Au) molecules, the M−Ng and Ng−C bonds might be represented as classical 2c–2e σ bonds. Therefore, noble metals, particularly gold, provide the opportunity for experimental chemists to obtain sufficiently stable complexes with Ng at room temperature in order to characterize them by using experimental techniques and, with the intriguing bonding situation, to explore them with various computational tools from a theoretical perspective. This field is relatively young and, in the coming years, a lot of advancement is expected experimentally as well as theoretically.

Boron Nanowheels with Axles Containing Noble Gas Atoms: Viable Noble Gas Bound M©B10- Clusters (M=Nb, Ta)

The viability of noble gas axled boron nanowheels Ng_n M©B₁₀^- (Ng=Ar-Rn; M=Nb, Ta; n=1, 2) is explored by ab initio computations. In the resulting Ng₂ -M complexes, the Ng-M-Ng nanorod passes through the center of the B₁₀^- ring, providing them with an inverse sandwich-like structure. While in the singly Ng bound analogue, the Ng binding enthalpy H_b at 298 K ranges from 2.5 to 10.6 kcal mol^-1 , in doubly Ng bound cases it becomes very low for the Ng₂ M©B₁₀^- →Ng+NgM©B₁₀^- dissociation channel, except for the case of Rn, for which the corresponding H_b values are 3.4 (Nb) and 4.0 kcal mol^-1 (Ta). For a given Ng, Ta has slightly higher Ng-binding ability than Nb. The corresponding free-energy changes indicate that these systems, particularly the Xe and Rn complexes, are good candidates for experimental realization in a low-temperature matrix. The Ng-M bonds were found to be covalent in nature, as reflected in their large Wiberg bond indices, formation of a 2c-2e σ orbital between Ng and M centers in natural bond orbital and adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP) analyses, and the short Ng-M distances. Energy decomposition analysis and a study on the natural orbitals for chemical valence show that the Ng-M contact is supported mainly by the orbital and electrostatic interactions, with almost equal contributions. Although both the Ng→M σ donation and Ng←M π backdonation play roles in the origin of orbital interaction, the former is significantly dominant over the latter. Further, AdNDP analysis indicates that the doubly aromatic character (both σ and π) in MB₁₀^- clusters is not perturbed by the interaction with Ng atoms.

Stable NCNgNSi (Ng=Kr, Xe, Rn) Compounds with Covalently Bound C-Ng-N Unit: Possible Isomerization of NCNSi through the Release of the Noble Gas Atom

Although the noble gas (Ng) compounds with either Ng-C or Ng-N bonds have been reported in the literature, compounds containing both bonds are not known. The first set of systems having a C-Ng-N bonding unit is predicted herein through the analysis of stability and bonding in the NCNgNSi (Ng=Kr-Rn) family. While the Xe and Rn inserted analogues are thermochemically stable with respect to all dissociation channels, but for the one producing CNSiN and free Ng, NCKrNSi has another additional three-body dissociation channel, NCKrNSi→CN+Kr+NSi, which is exergonic by -9.8 kcal mol^-1 at 298 K. This latter dissociation can be hindered by lowering the temperature. Moreover, the NCNgNSi→Ng+CNSiN dissociation is also kinetically prohibited by a quite high free energy barrier ranging from 25.2 to 39.3 kcal mol^-1 , with a gradual increase in going from Kr to Rn. Therefore, these compounds are appropriate candidates for experimental realization. A detailed bonding analysis by employing natural bond orbital, electron density, energy decomposition, and adaptive natural density partitioning analyses indicates that both Ng-N and C-Ng bonds in the title compounds are covalent in nature. In fact, the latter analysis indicates the presence of delocalized 3c-3e σ-bond within the C-Ng-N moiety and a totally delocalized 5c-2e σ-bond in these compounds. This is an unprecedented bonding characteristic in the sense that the bonding pattern in Ng inserted compounds is generally represented as the presence of covalent bond in one side of Ng, and the ionic interaction in the other side. Further, the dissociation of Ng from NCNgNSi facilitates the formation of a higher energy isomer of NCNSi, CNSiN, which cannot be formed from bare NCNSi as such, because of the very high free energy barrier associated with the isomeric transformation. Therefore, in the presence of Ng atoms it might be possible to detect the high energy isomer.

High stability of the He atom confined in a U@C60 fullerene

Electronic structure analysis highlights the high stability of He atom in the actinide metallofullerene U@C₆₀.

Nature of the bonding in the AuNgX (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe; X = F, Cl, Br, I) molecules. Topological study on electron density and the electron localization function (ELF)

Topological analysis of the electron localization function (ELF) has been carried out for the AuNgX (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe; X = F, Cl, Br, I) molecules using the wave function approximated by the CCSD, MP2, and DFT(B3LYP, M062X) methods including zero-order regular approximation (ZORA). In the Ng-F bond, the bonding disynaptic attractor V(Ng,F) is missing; therefore, there are no signs of the covalent binding. The nature of the Au-Ng bond depends on the computational method used. Analysis of the ELF carried out for the AuArF and AuXeF molecules, with the wave function approximated by the CCSD and MP2 methods, shows the V(Au,Ng) attractor possibly corresponding to a partially covalent binding between the gold and noble gas atom. However, its very small basin population (<1e) and a very large value of the variance of the basin population suggest that the Au-Ng bond has a very delocalized character. Such bond nature may be related to the charge shift concept with a resonance of the Au(-+)NgX, Au(+-)NgX hybrids. The weakest Au-Ng bond, in terms of the smallest amount of electron density for the V(Au,Ng) basin, is found for the AuKrF molecule with the CCSD method (0.13e). The MP2 method, however, does not yield any V(Au, Ng) population; hence, the covalent Au-Kr bond is not confirmed. Because the V(Au,Ng) attractor is also not observed with the DFT method, the proper characterization of the Au-Ng bond requires proper description of correlation effects. Additional studies on the Au2 and [AuXe](+) molecules, performed at the CCSD and B3LYP levels, exhibit no V(Au,Au) and V(Au,Xe) bonding basins either.

Predicted organic compounds derived from rare gas atoms and formic acid

Organic insertion compounds of rare gas atoms into formic acid were investigated at the MP2(full)/aug-cc-pVTZ level. There are two configuration isomers for each molecule based on the location of H atoms: trans- and cis-HCOORgH (Rg = Ar, Kr, Xe). Their structures, harmonic frequencies, and decomposition energies have been calculated using the above ab initio method. Using trans-HCOOXeH as an example, natural bond orbital (NBO) and atom-in-molecules (AIM) analyses were also carried out to explore the binding nature of the rare gas atoms. The formation mechanism of molecular orbitals is also presented in this paper. The presented results indicate that HCOOXeH and HCOOKrH are potential candidates for experimental observation.

Ab initio study of the organic xenon insertion compound into ethylene and ethane

This paper studies Xe-insertion ethylene and ethane compounds, i.e., HXeC2H3 and HXeC2H5. The structures, harmonic frequencies, and energetics for both molecules have been calculated at the MP2(full)/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. Our theoretical results predict the existence of HXeC2H3 and the instability of HXeC2H5. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis shows a strong ionic bond between the xenon atom and hydrocarbon radical. In addition, the interaction between the donor (Xe lone pair) and acceptor (the C-C antibonding orbital, i.e., π*(C-C)) increases the stability of HXeC2H3.

Infrared spectra of NgBeS (Ng = Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) and BeS2 in noble-gas matrices

Laser-ablated beryllium atom has been codeposited at 4 K with hydrogen sulfide in excess noble gas matrices. Four noble-gas compounds NgBeS (Ng = Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) and the BeS(2) molecule are identified on the basis of the S-34 isotopic substitution, DFT and CCSD(T) theoretical predictions, and a comparison of noble-gas substitution. The agreement between the experimental and calculated vibrational frequencies supports the identification of these molecules. The dissociation energies are calculated at 1.6, 12.6, 10.7, and 13.4 kcal/mol for NeBeS, ArBeS, KrBeS, and XeBeS, respectively, at the CCSD(T) level. The BeS Lewis acid molecule favors strong chemical binding between the Be and Ng atoms.

Luminescent di- and polynuclear organometallic gold(I)-metal (Au2, {Au2Ag}n and {Au2Cu}n) compounds containing bidentate phosphanes as active antimicrobial agents

The reaction of new dinuclear gold(I) organometallic complexes containing mesityl ligands and bridging bidentate phosphanes [Au(2)(mes)(2)(μ-LL)] (LL=dppe: 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane 1a, and water-soluble dppy: 1,2-bis(di-3-pyridylphosphano)ethane 1b) with Ag(+) and Cu(+) lead to the formation of a family of heterometallic clusters with mesityl bridging ligands of the general formula [Au(2)M(μ-mes)(2) (μ-LL)][A] (M=Ag, A=ClO(4)(-), LL=dppe 2a, dppy 2b; M=Ag, A=SO(3)CF(3)(-), LL=dppe 3a, dppy 3b; M=Cu, A=PF(6)(-), LL=dppe 4a, dppy 4b). The new compounds were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry The crystal structures of [Au(2)(mes)(2)(μ-dppy)] (1b) and [Au(2)Ag(μ-mes)(2)(μ-dppe)][SO(3)CF(3)] (3a) were determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. 3a in solid state is not a cyclic trinuclear Au(2)Ag derivative but it gives an open polymeric structure instead, with the {Au(2)(μ-dppe)} fragments "linked" by {Ag(μ-mes)(2)} units. The very short distances of 2.7559(6) Å (Au-Ag) and 2.9229(8) Å (Au-Au) are indicative of gold-silver (metallophilic) and aurophilic interactions. A systematic study of their luminescence properties revealed that all compounds are brightly luminescent in solid state, at room temperature (RT) and at 77 K, or in frozen DMSO solutions with lifetimes in the microsecond range and probably due to the self-aggregation of [Au(2)M(μ-mes)(2)(μ-LL)](+) units (M=Ag or Cu; LL=dppe or dppy) into an extended chain structure, through Au-Au and/or Au-M metallophilic interactions, as that observed for 3a. In solid state the heterometallic Au(2)M complexes with dppe (2a-4a) show a shift of emission maxima (from ca. 430 to the range of 520-540 nm) as compared to the parent dinuclear organometallic product 1a while the complexes with dppy (2b-4b) display a more moderate shift (505 for 1b to a max of 563 nm for 4b). More importantly, compound [Au(2)Ag(μ-mes)(2)(μ-dppy)]ClO(4) (2b) resulted luminescent in diluted DMSO solution at room temperature. Previously reported compound [Au(2)Cl(2)(μ-LL)] (LL dppy 5b) was also studied for comparative purposes. The antimicrobial activity of 1-5 and Ag[A] (A=ClO(4)(-), SO(3)CF(3)(-)) against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and yeast was evaluated. Most tested compounds displayed moderate to high antibacterial activity while heteronuclear Au(2)M derivatives with dppe (2a-4a) were the more active (minimum inhibitory concentration 10 to 1 μg mL(-1)). Compounds containing silver were ten times more active to gram-negative bacteria than the parent dinuclear compound 1a or silver salts. Au(2)Ag compounds with dppy (2b, 3b) were also potent against fungi.

Stabilization of HHeF by complexation: is it a really viable strategy?

Ab initio calculations at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory have disclosed the conceivable existence of fluorine-coordinated complexes of HHeF with alkali-metal ions and molecules M(+) (M(+)=Li(+)-Cs(+)), M(+)-OH(2), M(+)-NH(3) (M(+)=Li(+), Na(+)), and MX (M=Li, Na; X=F, Cl, Br). All these ligands L induce a shortening of the H-He distance and a lengthening of the He-F distance accompanied by consistent blue- and redshifts, respectively, of the H-He and He-F stretching modes. These structural effects are qualitatively similar to those predicted for other investigated complexes of the noble gas hydrides HNgY, but are quantitatively more pronounced. For example, the blueshifts of the H-He stretching mode are exceptionally large, ranging between around 750 and 1000 cm(-1). The interactions of HHeF with the ligands investigated herein also enhance the (HHe)(+)F(-) dipole character and produce large complexation energies of around 20-60 kcal mol(-1). Most of the HHeF-L complexes are indeed so stable that the three-body dissociation of HHeF into H+He+F, exothermic by around 25-30 kcal mol(-1), becomes endothermic. This effect is, however, accompanied by a strong decrease in the H-He-F bending barrier. The complexation energies, DeltaE, and the bending barriers, E*, are, in particular, related by the inverse relationship E*(kcal mol(-1))=6.9exp[-0.041DeltaE(kcal mol(-1))]. Therefore the HHeF-L complexes, which are definitely stable with respect to H+He+F+L (DeltaE approximately 25-30 kcal mol(-1)), are predicted to have bending barriers of only 0.5-2 kcal mol(-1). Overall, our calculations cast doubt on the conceivable stabilization of HHeF by complexation.

Cationic noble gas hydrides: a theoretical investigation of dinuclear HNgFNgH+ (Ng = He-Xe)

Theoretical calculations at the B3LYP, MP2, and CCSD(T) levels of theory disclose the conceivable existence of cationic noble gas hydrides containing two Ng atoms. These species have a general formula of HNgFNgH(+) (Ng = He-Xe), and are the cationic counterparts of the neutral HNgF. The optimized geometries, harmonic frequencies, and bonding properties point to ion-dipole complexes between a fluoride anion and two covalent H-Ng(+) cations, best formulated as (H-Ng(+))(2)F(-). The HXeFXeH(+) is also isoelectronic with the recently experimentally observed HXeOXeH (Khriachtchev et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 6114-6118). The resulting HNgFNgH(+) are thermochemically stable with respect to dissociation into HNg(+) + HNgF and HNg(+) + H + Ng + F, but are largely unstable with respect to both the loss of HF (with formation of HNg(+) + Ng) and H(2)F(+) (with formation of two Ng atoms). These decompositions pass through bent transition structures, and only the heaviest HArFArH(+), HKrFKrH(+), and HXeFXeH(+) are protected by energy barriers large enough (ca. 10-15 kcal mol(-1)) to support their conceivable metastability. In line with other series of noble gas compounds, the neon cation HNeFNeH(+) is the least stable among the various HNgFNgH(+).

Theoretical studies on metal-metal interaction, excited states, and spectroscopic properties of binuclear Au-Au, Au-Rh, and Rh-Rh complexes with diphosphine ligands: buildup of complexity from monomers to dimers

To understand their photocatalytic activity and application in luminescent materials, a series of gold and rhodium phosphine complexes (mononuclear [Au(I)(PH(3))(2)](+) (1) and [Rh(I)(CNH)(2)(PH(3))(2)](+) (2); homobinuclear [Au(I)(2)(PH(2)CH(2)PH(2))(2)](2+) (3) and [Rh(I)(2)(CNH)(4)(PH(2)CH(2)PH(2))(2)](2+) (4); heterobinuclear [Au(I)Rh(I)(CNH)(2)(PH(2)CH(2)PH(2))(2)](2+) (5), [Au(I)Rh(I)(CNH)(2)(PH(2)NHPH(2))(2)Cl(2)] (6), and [Au(I)Rh(I)(CNH)(2)(PH(2)NHPH(2))(2)](2+) (7); and oxidized derivatives [Au(II)Rh(II)(CNH)(2)(PH(2)CH(2)PH(2))(2)](4+) (8), [Au(II)Rh(II)(CNH)(2)(PH(2)NHPH(2))(2)Cl(3)](+) (9), and [Au(II)Rh(II)(CNH)(2)(PH(2)NHPH(2))(2)](4+) (10)) were investigated using ab initio methods and density functional theory. With the use of the MP2 method, the M-M' distances in 3-7 were estimated to be in the range of 2.76-3.02 A, implying the existence of weak metal-metal interaction. This is further evident in the stretching frequencies and bond orders of M-M'. The two-electron oxidation from 5-7 to their respective partners 8-10 was shown to mainly occur in the gold-rhodium centers. Experimental absorption spectra were well reproduced by our time-dependent density functional theory calculations. The metal-metal interaction results in a large shift of d(z(2)) --> p(z) transition absorptions in binuclear complexes relative to mononuclear analogues and concomitantly produces a low-lying excited state that is responsible for increasing visible-light photocatalytic activities. Upon excitation, the metal-centered transition and the metal-to-metal charge transfer strengthen the metal-metal interaction in triplet excited states for 3-6, while the promotion of electrons into the sigma*(d(z(2))) orbital weakens the interaction in 9.

The chemical bond between Au(I) and the noble gases. Comparative study of NgAuF and NgAu+ (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe) by density functional and coupled cluster methods

The nature of the chemical bond between gold and the noble gases in the simplest prototype of Au(I) complexes (NgAuF and NgAu+, where Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe), has been theoretically investigated by state of art all-electron fully relativistic DC-CCSD(T) and DFT calculations with extended basis sets. The main properties of the molecules, including dipole moments and polarizabilities, have been computed and a detailed study of the electron density changes upon formation of the Ng-Au bond has been made. The Ar-Au dissociation energy is found to be nearly the same in both Argon compounds. It almost doubles along the NgAuF series and nearly triples in the corresponding NgAu+ series. The formation of the Ng-Au(I) bonds is accompanied by a large and very complex charge redistribution pattern which not only affects the outer valence region but reaches deep into the core-electron region. The charge transfer from the noble gas to Au taking place in the NgAu+ systems is largely reduced in the fluorides but the Ng-Au chemical bond in the latter systems is found to be tighter near the equilibrium distance. The density difference analysis shows, for all three noble gases, a qualitatively identical nature of the Ng-Au bond, characterized by the pronounced charge accumulation in the middle of the Ng-Au internuclear region which is typical of a covalent bond. This bonding density accumulation is more pronounced in the fluorides, where the Au-F bond is found to become more ionic, while the overall density deformation is more evident and less localized in the NgAu+ systems. Accurate density difference maps and charge-transfer curves help explain very subtle features of the chemistry of Au(I), including its peculiar preference for tight linear bicordination.

Theoretical prediction of noble-gas compounds: Ng-Pd-Ng and Ng-Pt-Ng

Following our recent study on Ng-Pt-Ng (Ng=Ar,Kr,Xe) [J. Chem. Phys. 123, 204321 (2005)], the binding of noble-gas atoms with Pd atom has been investigated by the ab initio coupled cluster CCSD(T) method with counterpoise corrections, including relativistic effects. It is shown that two Ng atoms bind with Pd atom in linear geometry due to the s-d(sigma) hybridization in Pd where the second Ng atom attaches with much larger binding energy than the first. The binding energies are evaluated as 4.0, 10.2, and 21.5 kcalmol for Ar-Pd-Ar, Kr-Pd-Kr, and Xe-Pd-Xe, respectively, relative to the dissociation limit, Pd ((1)S)+2Ng. In the hybrid Ng complexes, the binding energies for XePd and Ng (=Ar,Kr) are evaluated as 4.0 and 6.9 kcalmol for XePd-Ar and XePd-Kr, respectively. The fundamental frequencies and low-lying vibrational-rotational energy levels are determined for each compound by the variational method, based on the three-dimensional near-equilibrium potential energy surface. Results of vibrational-rotational analyses for Ng-Pt-Ng (Ng=Ar,Kr,Xe) and Xe-Pt-Ng (Ng=He,Ne,Ar,Kr) compounds are also given.

Atypical compounds of gases, which have been called ‘noble’

In this critical review I describe fascinating experimental and theoretical advances in 'noble gas' chemistry during the last twenty years, and have taken a somewhat unexpected course since 2000. I also highlight perspectives for further development in this field, including the prospective synthesis of compounds containing as yet unknown Xe-element and element-Xe-element bridging bonds, peroxide species containing Xe, adducts of XeF(2) with various metal fluorides, Xe-element alloys, and novel pressure-stabilized covalently bound and host-guest compounds of Xe. A substantial part of the essay is devoted to the-as yet experimentally unexplored-behaviour of the compounds of Xe under high pressure. The blend of science, history, and theoretical predictions, will be valued by inorganic and organic chemists, materials scientists, and the community of theoretical and experimental high-pressure physicists and chemists (151 references).

Electronic Structures and Spectroscopic Properties of Mono- and Binuclear d8 Complexes: A Theoretical Exploration on Promising Phosphorescent Materials

The structures of trans-[M(2)(CN)(4)(PH(2)CH(2)PH(2))(2)] (M = Pt (1), Pd (2), and Ni (3)), trans-[Pt(2)X(4)(PH(2)CH(2)PH(2))(2)] (X = Cl (4) and Br (5)), and trans-[M(CN)(2)(PH(3))(2)] (M = Pt (6), Pd (7), and Ni (8)) in the ground state were optimized using the MP2 method. Frequency calculations reveal that the weak metal-metal interaction is essentially attractive for 1, 2, 4, and 5 but not for 3. The TD-DFT calculations associated with the polarized continuum model (PCM) were performed to predict absorption spectra in CH(2)Cl(2) solution. Experimental spectra are well reproduced by our results. With respect to analogous mononuclear d(8) complexes (6-8), a large red shift of the absorption wavelength was calculated for the binuclear d(8) complexes (1-3). Relative to 1 with unsaturated CN- donors, introduction of saturated halogen donors into 4 and 5 changes their electronic structures, especially the HOMO and LUMO. The TD-DFT and subsequent unrestricted MP2 calculations predict that 1 produces the lowest-energy d --> p emission while 2-5 favor the d --> d emissions, agreeing with experimental observations.

Matrix Isolation Infrared Spectroscopic and Theoretical Study of NgMO (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe; M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) Complexes

The matrix isolation infrared spectroscopic and quantum chemical calculation results indicate that late transition metal monoxides CrO through NiO coordinate one noble gas atom in forming the NgMO complexes (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe; M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) in solid noble gas matrixes. Hence, the late transition metal monoxides previously characterized in solid noble gas matrixes should be regarded as the NgMO complexes, which were predicted to be linear. The M-Ng bond distances decrease, while the M-Ng binding energies increase from NgCrO to NgNiO. In contrast, the early transition metal monoxides, ScO, TiO, and VO, are not able to form similar noble gas atom complexes.

Neutral Helium Compounds: Theoretical Evidence for a Large Class of Polynuclear Complexes

Ab initio calculations at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory disclose the conceivable existence of neutral complexes containing up to four helium atoms. These species are formally obtained by replacing the hydrogen atoms of parent molecules such as CH(4), SiH(4), NH(3), PH(3), H(2)O, H(2)S, C(2)H(2), C(2)H(4), and C(6)H(6) with -NBeHe moieties, which behave as monovalent functional groups containing helium. The geometries and vibrational frequencies of these M(NBeHe)(n) (n>1; M=central moiety) polyhelium complexes have been investigated at the MP2(full)/6-31G(d) level of theory, and their stability with respect to the loss of helium atom(s) has been evaluated by means of single-point calculations at the CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Molecules such as H(n)C(NBeHe)(4-n) and H(n)Si(NBeHe)(4-n) (n=0-3), C(2)(NBeHe)(2), and ortho-, meta-, and para-C(6)H(4)(NBeHe)(2) were invariably characterized as energy minima, and were found to be stable with respect to the loss of helium atom(s) by approximately 4-5 kcal mol(-1). On the other hand, species such as C(2)(NBeHe)(4) and C(6)(NBeHe)(6) were characterized as high-order saddle points on the potential-energy surface, and were unstable with respect to helium atom(s) loss owing to the bending motion of the -NBeHe groups. The molecules containing N, P, O, or S as the central atom also showed a variable topology and include second-order saddle points such as S(NBeHe)(2), third-order saddle points such as HN(NBeHe)(2), but also minimum-energy structures such as O(NBeHe)(2) and HP(NBeHe)(2), which are also stable by approximately 5 kcal mol(-1) with respect to the helium atom(s) loss. These results suggest the conceivable existence of an, in principle, very large class of M(NBeHe)(n) (n>1) polyhelium complexes, whose stability may be substantially affected by the nature and the size of the central moiety M. Atoms-in-Molecules (AIM) calculations on selected species invariably suggest that, in our investigated M(NBeHe)(n) (n>1) compounds, the beryllium-helium interaction is essentially electrostatic.

XeCu Covalent Bonding in XeCuF and XeCuCl, Characterized by Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopy Supported by Quantum Chemical Calculations

XeCu covalent bonding has been found in the complexes XeCuF and XeCuCl. The molecules were characterized by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy, supported by MP2 ab initio calculations. The complexes were prepared by laser ablation of Cu in the presence of Xe and SF(6) or Cl(2) and stabilized in supersonic jets of Ar. The rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants show the XeCu bonds to be short and rigid. The (131)Xe, Cu, and Cl nuclear quadrupole coupling constants indicate major redistributions of the electron densities of Xe and CuF or CuCl on complex formation which cannot be accounted for by simple electrostatic effects. The MP2 calculations corroborate the XeCu bond lengths and predict XeCu dissociation energies approximately 50-60 kJ mol(-)(1). The latter cannot be accounted for in terms of induction energies. The MP2 calculations also predict valence molecular orbitals with significant shared electron density between Xe and Cu and negative local energy densities at the XeCu bond critical points. All evidence is consistent with XeCu covalent bonding.

Formation and Characterization of the XeOO+ Cation in Solid Argon

This report presents the preparation and characterization of a xenon-containing cationic radical species, XeOO+. The XeOO+ cation was produced either by co-deposition of the reactive species generated by laser ablation of different transition metals with dioxygen and xenon mixtures in excess argon or by condensation of high-frequency discharged O2/Xe/Ar mixtures at 12 K and is identified by infrared absorptions. High-level quantum chemical calculations indicate that XeOO+ has a bent structure with direct xenon-oxygen dative bonding, and the doublet ground state is much more stable than the Xe + O2+ reactants.

Characterization of an organometallic xenon complex using NMR and IR spectroscopy

Photolysis of Re(iPrCp)(CO)2(PF3) in liquid or supercritical Xe yields two new compounds [Re(iPrCp)(CO)2Xe and Re(iPrCp)(CO)(PF3)Xe]. Re(iPrCp)(CO)(PF3)Xe has been characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopies. The compound is an organometallic Xe complex that has been characterized by using NMR spectroscopy and is shown to be longer-lived than other organometallic Xe complexes by IR spectroscopy. 19F, 31P, and 129Xe chemical shifts have been determined. The 129Xe chemical shift of Re(iPrCp)(CO)(PF3)Xe, delta -6,179, is a Xe shift that is significantly shielded, on the order of 1,000 ppm, with respect to free Xe. The coupling constants between coordinated 129Xe and both the 19F and 31P nuclei present have been extracted, confirming the identity of the compound. Observed line widths give a lower limit to the lifetime of the coordinated Xe of 27 ms at 163 K.

Rotational Spectra, Structures, Hyperfine Constants, and the Nature of the Bonding of KrCuF and KrCuCl

Rotational spectra of KrCuF and KrCuCl have been measured in the frequency range 8-18 GHz, using a pulsed jet cavity Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The molecules were prepared by ablating Cu metal with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) and allowing the plasma to react with appropriate precursors (Kr plus SF(6) or Cl(2)) contained in the backing gas of the jet (Ar or Kr). Rotational constants, internuclear distances, vibration frequencies, and (83)Kr, Cu, and Cl nuclear quadrupole coupling constants have all been evaluated. The Kr-Cu bonds are short and the complexes are rigid. The (83)Kr coupling constant of KrCuF is large (128.8 MHz). The Cu nuclear quadrupole coupling constants differ radically from those of uncomplexed CuF and CuCl molecules. The results are supported by those of ab initio calculations, which have also yielded Mulliken populations, MOLDEN plots of valence molecular orbitals and Laplace concentrations, and electron localization functions. The results are consistent with those reported earlier for other noble gas-noble metal halide complexes. The results have been used to assess the nature of the bonding in the complexes and have produced good evidence for weak noble gas-noble metal chemical bonding.

Microwave Spectra and Structures of KrAuF, KrAgF, and KrAgBr; 83Kr Nuclear Quadrupole Coupling and the Nature of Noble Gas−Noble Metal Halide Bonding

Microwave spectra of the complexes KrAuF and KrAgBr have been measured for the first time using a cavity pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The samples were prepared by laser ablation of the metal from its solid and allowing the resulting plasma to react with an appropriate precursor (Kr, plus SF6 or Br2) contained in the backing gas of the jet (usually Ar). Rotational constants; geometries; centrifugal distortion constants; vibration frequencies; and 197Au, 79Br, and 81Br nuclear quadrupole coupling constants have all been evaluated. The complexes are unusually rigid and have short Kr-Au and Kr-Ag bonds. The 197Au nuclear quadrupole coupling constant differs radically from its value in an AuF monomer. In addition 83Kr hyperfine structure has been measured for KrAuF and the previously reported complex KrAgF. The geometry of the latter has been reevaluated. Large values for the 83Kr nuclear quadrupole coupling constants have been found for both complexes. Both the 197Au and 83Kr hyperfine constants indicate a large reorganization of the electron distribution on complex formation. A thorough assessment of the nature of the noble gas-noble metal bonding in these and related complexes (NgMX; Ng is a noble gas, M is a noble metal, and X is a halogen) has been carried out. The bond lengths are compared with sums of standard atomic and ionic radii. Ab initio calculations have produced dissociation energies along with Mulliken populations and other data on the electron distributions in the complexes. The origins of the rigidity, dissociation energies, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants are considered. It is concluded that there is strong evidence for weak noble gas-noble metal chemical bonding in the complexes.

Noble gas-actinide complexes of the CUO molecule with multiple Ar, Kr, and Xe atoms in noble-gas matrices

Laser-ablated U atoms react with CO in excess argon to produce CUO, which is trapped in a triplet state in solid argon at 7 K, based on agreement between observed and relativistic density functional theory (DFT) calculated isotopic frequencies ((12)C(16)O, (13)C(16)O, (12)C(18)O). This observation contrasts a recent neon matrix investigation, which trapped CUO in a linear singlet state calculated to be about 1 kcal/mol lower in energy. Experiments with krypton and xenon give results analogous to those with argon. Similar work with dilute Kr and Xe in argon finds small frequency shifts in new four-band progressions for CUO in the same triplet states trapped in solid argon and provides evidence for four distinct CUO(Ar)(4-n)(Ng)(n) (Ng = Kr, Xe, n = 1, 2, 3, 4) complexes for each Ng. DFT calculations show that successively higher Ng complexes are responsible for the observed frequency progressions. This work provides the first evidence for noble gas-actinide complexes, and the first example of neutral complexes with four noble gas atoms bonded to one metal center.