Theoretical Study of N-Heterocyclic-Carbene-ZnX2 (X = H, Me, Et) Complexes

Bader's Topological Bond Path Does Not Necessarily Indicate Stabilizing Interaction-Proof Studies Based on the Ng@[3n]cyclophane Endohedral Complexes

According to Bader's quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), the simultaneous presence of a bond path and the corresponding bond critical point between any two atoms is both a necessary and sufficient condition for the atoms to be bonded to one another. In principle, this means that this pair of atoms should make a stabilizing contribution to the molecular system. However, the multitude of so-called counterintuitive bond paths strongly suggests that this statement is not necessarily true. Particularly 'troublesome' are endohedral complexes, in which encapsulation-enforced proximity between the trapped guest (e.g., an atom) and the host's cage system usually 'produces' many counterintuitive bond paths. In the author's opinion, the best evidence to demonstrate the repulsive nature of the intra-cage guest⋯host interaction is the use of some trapping systems containing small escape channels and then showing that the initially trapped entity spontaneously escapes outside the host's cage during geometry optimization of the initially built guest@host endohedral complex. For this purpose, a group of 24 Ng@[3n]cyclophane (3≤n≤6) endohedral complexes is used. As a result, arguments are presented showing that Bader's topological bond path does not necessarily indicate a stabilizing interaction.

Halogen Bond to Experimentally Significant N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (I, IMe2, IiPr2, ItBu2, IPh2, IMes2, IDipp2, IAd2; I = Imidazol-2-ylidene)

The subjects of the article are halogen bonds between either XCN or XCCH (X = Cl, Br, I) and the carbene carbon atom in imidazol-2-ylidene (I) or its derivatives (IR2) with experimentally significant and systematically increased R substituents at both nitrogen atoms: methyl = Me, iso-propyl = iPr, tert-butyl = tBu, phenyl = Ph, mesityl = Mes, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl = Dipp, 1-adamantyl = Ad. It is shown that the halogen bond strength increases in the order Cl < Br < I and the XCN molecule forms stronger complexes than XCCH. Of all the carbenes considered, IMes2 forms the strongest and also the shortest halogen bonds with an apogee for complex IMes2⋯ICN for which D0 = 18.71 kcal/mol and dC⋯I = 2.541 Å. In many cases, IDipp2 forms as strong halogen bonds as IMes2. Quite the opposite, although characterized by the greatest nucleophilicity, ItBu2 forms the weakest complexes (and the longest halogen bonds) if X ≠ Cl. While this finding can easily be attributed to the steric hindrance exerted by the highly branched tert-butyl groups, it appears that the presence of the four C-H⋯X hydrogen bonds may also be of importance here. Similar situation occurs in the case of complexes with IAd2.

The Ultrashort Spike-Ring Interaction in Substituted Iron Maiden Molecules

The in forms of molecular iron maidens are known for their unique ultrashort interaction between the apical hydrogen atom or its small substituent and the surface of the benzene ring. It is generally believed that this forced ultrashort X⋯π contact is associated with high steric hindrance, which is responsible for specific properties of iron maiden molecules. The main aim of this article is to investigate the influence of significant charge enrichment or depletion of the benzene ring on the characteristics of the ultrashort C-X⋯π contact in iron maiden molecules. For this purpose, three strongly electron-donating (-NH2) or strongly electron-withdrawing (-CN) groups were inserted into the benzene ring of in-[34,10][7]metacyclophane and its halogenated (X = F, Cl, Br) derivatives. It is shown that, despite such extremely electron-donating or electron-accepting properties, the considered iron maiden molecules surprisingly reveal quite high resistance to changes in electronic properties.

Finding Design Principles of OLED Emitters through Theoretical Investigations of Zn(II) Carbene Complexes

In this work, Zn(II) carbene complexes carrying a dianionic 1,2-dithiolbenzene (dtb) or 1,2-diolbenzene (dob) ligand were investigated regarding their suitability as organic light-emitting diode (OLED) emitter. For the optimization of the complexes, density functional-based methods were used and frequency analyses verified the obtained structures as minima. All calculations were carried out including a polarizable continuum model to mimic solvent-solute interactions. Multireference configuration interaction methods were used to determine excitation energies, spin-orbit couplings, and luminescence properties. Rate constants of spin-allowed and spin-forbidden transitions were calculated according to a Fermi golden rule expression. Using carbene ligands with varying σ-donor and π-acceptor strengths, the luminescence is found to be tunable from yellow to orange/red to deep red/near-infrared. The calculated intersystem crossing (ISC) time constants indicate thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) to be the main decay channel. In contrast to many d¹⁰ coinage metal complexes, a parallel orientation of dtb or dob and the carbene ligand is found to be highly favorable. For the complexes with a cyclic (alkyl)(amino) carbene (CAAC) or cyclic (amino)(aryl) carbene (CAArC) ligand, the S₁ and T₁ states have ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer (LLCT) character and are energetically close. The complex with a classical N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand has S₁ and T₁ states with mixed ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT)/LLCT character and is a very rare example in which the zinc ion contributes to the excitation.

Nature of Beryllium, Magnesium, and Zinc Bonds in Carbene⋯MX2 (M = Be, Mg, Zn; X = H, Br) Dimers Revealed by the IQA, ETS-NOCV and LED Methods

The nature of beryllium−, magnesium− and zinc−carbene bonds in the cyclopropenylidene⋯MX2 (M = Be, Mg, Zn; X = H, Br) and imidazol-2-ylidene⋯MBr2 dimers is investigated by the joint use of the topological QTAIM-based IQA decomposition scheme, the molecular orbital-based ETS-NOCV charge and energy decomposition method, and the LED energy decomposition approach based on the state-of-the-art DLPNO-CCSD(T) method. All these methods show that the C⋯M bond strengthens according to the following order: Zn < Mg << Be. Electrostatics is proved to be the dominant bond component, whereas the orbital component is far less important. It is shown that QTAIM/IQA underestimates electrostatic contribution for zinc bonds with respect to both ETS-NOCV and LED schemes. The σ carbene→MX2 donation appears to be much more important than the MX2→ carbene back-donation of π symmetry. The substitution of hydrogen atoms by bromine (X in MX2) strengthens the metal−carbene bond in all cases. The physical origin of rotational barriers has been unveiled by the ETS-NOCV approach.

On the Coexistence of the Carbene⋯H-D Hydrogen Bond and Other Accompanying Interactions in Forty Dimers of N-Heterocyclic-Carbenes (I, IMe2, IiPr2, ItBu2, IMes2, IDipp2, IAd2; I = imidazol-2-ylidene) and Some Fundamental Proton Donors (HF, HCN, H2O, MeOH, NH3)

The subject of research is forty dimers formed by imidazol-2-ylidene (I) or its derivative (IR2) obtained by replacing the hydrogen atoms in both N-H bonds with larger important and popular substituents of increasing complexity (methyl = Me, iso-propyl = iPr, tert-butyl = tBu, phenyl = Ph, mesityl = Mes, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl = Dipp, 1-adamantyl = Ad) and fundamental proton donor (HD) molecules (HF, HCN, H2O, MeOH, NH3). While the main goal is to characterize the generally dominant C⋯H-D hydrogen bond engaging a carbene carbon atom, an equally important issue is the often omitted analysis of the role of accompanying secondary interactions. Despite the often completely different binding possibilities of the considered carbenes, and especially HD molecules, several general trends are found. Namely, for a given carbene, the dissociation energy values of the IR2⋯HD dimers increase in the following order: NH3< H2O < HCN ≤ MeOH ≪ HF. Importantly, it is found that, for a given HD molecule, IDipp2 forms the strongest dimers. This is attributed to the multiplicity of various interactions accompanying the dominant C⋯H-D hydrogen bond. It is shown that substitution of hydrogen atoms in both N-H bonds of the imidazol-2-ylidene molecule by the investigated groups leads to stronger dimers with HF, HCN, H2O or MeOH. The presented results should contribute to increasing the knowledge about the carbene chemistry and the role of intermolecular interactions, including secondary ones.

The physical nature of the ultrashort spike-ring interaction in iron maiden molecules

The so-called 'iron maiden' molecules belong to one of the most interesting subgroups of cyclophanes due to the presence of the ultrashort interaction between the CX apical bond and the benzene ring. This article presents an in-depth theoretical study of 16 'iron maiden' molecules, in which X = H, F, Cl or Br and the side chains are of various lengths and types: CSC, CSCC, CCC, and CCCC. It is shown that the H → F → Cl → Br substitution leads to a significant expansion of the 'iron maiden' molecule. Shorter chains lead to more pronounced effects, while insertion of sulfur atoms into the side chains lowers them. Structural changes are associated with an increase in energetic destabilization of X. Moreover, unlike for H, in the case of X = halogen, the out → in isomerization is energetically disadvantageous. The 'iron maiden' molecules are characterized by the presence of only three X⋯C_Ar bond paths. Particularly noteworthy are unusually large (even up to 32) values of the X⋯C_Ar bond ellipticity, which results from flat electron density distribution. The X⋯π interaction in each of the investigated 'iron maiden' molecule turned out to be multi-center, stabilizing and almost purely covalent in nature as indicated by the definitely dominant percentage (94.8%-101.6%) of the exchange-correlation energy. The spatial hindrance within the 'iron maiden' molecules appears to be not so much due to the X⋯π repulsion, but due to unfavorable steric interactions between X and the CC side bonds. It is also confirmed that some CH⋯HC interactions in aliphatic chains can be very weakly stabilizing.

Insight into Spodium–π Bonding Characteristics of the MX2···π (M = Zn, Cd and Hg; X = Cl, Br and I) Complexes—A Theoretical Study

The spodium–π bonding between MX₂ (M = Zn, Cd, and Hg; X = Cl, Br, and I) acting as a Lewis acid, and C₂H₂/C₂H₄ acting as a Lewis base was studied by ab initio calculations. Two types of structures of cross (T) and parallel (P) forms are obtained. For the T form, the X–M–X axis adopts a cross configuration with the molecular axis of C≡C or C=C, but both of them are parallel in the P form. NCI, AIM, and electron density shifts analyses further, indicating that the spodium–π bonding exists in the binary complexes. Spodium–π bonding exhibits a partially covalent nature characterized with a negative energy density and large interaction energy. With the increase of electronegativity of the substituents on the Lewis acid or its decrease in the Lewis base, the interaction energies increase and vice versa. The spodium–π interaction is dominated by electrostatic interaction in most complexes, whereas dispersion and electrostatic energies are responsible for the stability of the MX₂⋯C₂F₂ complexes. The spodium–π bonding further complements the concept of the spodium bond and provides a wider range of research on the adjustment of the strength of spodium bond.

Endo- and exohedral complexes of superphane with cations

Quite recently it has been shown in a previous study that superphane, that is, [2.2.2.2.2.2](1,2,3,4,5,6)cyclophane, is a very convenient molecule in the study of endohedral complexes and especially in the study of the influence of the caged entity (i.e., guest) on the structure of the host molecule. This advantage results from the presence of two parallel benzene rings joined together by six quite flexible ethylene bridges (spacers). This article examines the energetic and structural properties of endo- and exohedral complexes of superphane with the following cations: H⁺ , Li⁺ , Na⁺ , K⁺ , Be²⁺ , Mg²⁺ , Ca²⁺ , B³⁺ , Al³⁺ , Ga³⁺ . The stability of endohedral complexes has been shown to be strongly dependent on the charge and radius of the caged cation. The inclusion of the cation inside the superphane molecule causes its 'swelling', which is manifested by an increase in the distance between the benzene rings and elongations of the ring and spacer C-C bonds. In the case of exohedral complexes, three forms are investigated: with the cation above the benzene ring, with the cation interacting with the superphane window in the equatorial position, and with the cation interacting with the center of the C-C spacer bond. The first of these forms has been shown to be preferred. The cation⋯acceptor distance depends on the cation radius. Among the cations investigated, H⁺ and Be²⁺ are particularly reactive and predisposed to induce significant structural changes in the superphane molecule, forming C-H bond or C-Be-C bridges, respectively.

EDA-NOCV Analysis of Donor-Base-Stabilized Elusive Monomeric Aluminum Phosphides [(L)P-Al(L'); L, L' = cAACMe, NHCMe, PMe3]

Herein, we report on the stability and bonding analysis of donor-base-stabilized monomeric AlP species (1-6) of the general formula (L)P-Al(L'); [L = cAAC^Me, L' = cAAC^Me, NHC^Me, PMe₃, (N ⁱ Pr₂)₂ (1-4); L = L' = NHC^Me, PMe₃ (5 and 6); cAAC = cyclic alkyl(amino) carbene; NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene]. Energy decomposition analysis coupled with natural orbitals for chemical valence (EDA-NOCV) analysis indicates the synthetic viability of this class of species, stabilized in their singlet ground state, in the laboratory. The C_L-P bond is found to be a partial double bond (WBI ∼ 1.45), while the C_L/P_L-Al bond is a single bond (WBI ∼ 0.42-0.69). These bonds are mostly covalent or dative σ/π bonds depending upon the ligands attached. The central P-Al bond is an electron-sharing covalent polar single bond (WBI ∼ 0.80; P-Al) for 1-4 and a dative σ bond for 5 and 6 (WBI ∼ 0.89-0.93; P-Al). The calculated intrinsic interaction energies of the central P-Al bonds are found to be in the range from -116 to -216 kcal/mol (1-3 and 5 and 6). This value is the highest for compound 3, possibly due to the push and pull effects from the ligands PMe₃ and cAAC, respectively.