A Robust Supramolecular Heterosynthon Assembled by a Hydrogen Bond and a Chalcogen Bond

The 1:1 and 2:1 cocrystals of isophthalic acid and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole have been successfully synthesized and resolved; the noncovalent interactions in the crystal structures have been studied in detail by quantum chemical calculations. In both of the crystal structures, isophthalic acid and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole are bound together by a cyclic supramolecular heterosynthon assembled by an O–H···N hydrogen bond and a N–Se···O chalcogen bond. The crystal structures of the 1:1 and 2:1 cocrystals of isophthalic acid and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole and the crystal structure of pure isophthalic acid are very similar, which indicates that the [COOH]···[Se−N] cyclic heterosynthon can be an effective alternative to the strong [COOH]2 cyclic homosynthon. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules further recognizes the existence of the hydrogen bond and chalcogen bond. The results of quantum chemical calculations show that the strengths of the π···π stacking interactions in the 1:1 cocrystals of isophthalic acid and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole are almost the same as those in the 2:1 cocrystals of isophthalic acid and 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole, and the strengths of the [COOH]···[Se−N] cyclic heterosynthons (about 9.00 kcal/mol) are less than the strengths of the much stronger [COOH]2 cyclic homosynthons (14.00 kcal/mol). These calculated results are in good agreement with those experimentally observed, demonstrating that, although not as strong as the [COOH]2 cyclic homosynthon, the [COOH]···[Se−N] cyclic heterosynthon can also play a key role in the crystal growth and design.

Ability of Lewis Acids with Shallow σ-Holes to Engage in Chalcogen Bonds in Different Environments

Molecules of the type XYT = Ch (T = C, Si, Ge; Ch = S, Se; X,Y = H, CH3, Cl, Br, I) contain a σ-hole along the T = Ch bond extension. This hole can engage with the N lone pair of NCH and NCCH3 so as to form a chalcogen bond. In the case of T = C, these bonds are rather weak, less than 3 kcal/mol, and are slightly weakened in acetone or water. They owe their stability to attractive electrostatic energy, supplemented by dispersion, and a much smaller polarization term. Immersion in solvent reverses the electrostatic interaction to repulsive, while amplifying the polarization energy. The σ-holes are smaller for T = Si and Ge, even negative in many cases. These Lewis acids can nonetheless engage in a weak chalcogen bond. This bond owes its stability to dispersion in the gas phase, but it is polarization that dominates in solution.

Theoretical Study on the Noncovalent Interactions Involving Triplet Diphenylcarbene

The properties of some types of noncovalent interactions formed by triplet diphenylcarbene (DPC3) have been investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) studies. The DPC3···LA (LA = AlF3, SiF4, PF5, SF2, ClF) complexes have been analyzed from their equilibrium geometries, binding energies, charge transfer and properties of electron density. The triel bond in the DPC3···AlF3 complex exhibits a partially covalent nature, with the binding energy − 65.7kJ/mol. The tetrel bond, pnicogen bond, chalcogen bond and halogen bond in the DPC3···LA (LA = SiF4, PF5, SF2, ClF) complexes show the character of a weak closed-shell noncovalent interaction. Polarization plays an important role in the formation of the studied complexes. The strength of intermolecular interaction decreases in the order LA = AlF3 > ClF > SF2 > SiF4 > PF5. In the process of complexation, the charge transferrs from DPC3 to the antibonding orbital of AlF3/SF2/ClF, the quantity of charge transfer is very small between DPC3 and SiF4/PF5. The electron spin density transferrs from the radical DPC3 to ClF and SF2 in the formation of halogen bond and chalcogen bond, but for the DPC3···AlF3/SiF4/PF5 complexes, the transfer of electron spin density is minimal.