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Statistical analysis of halogen...halogen intermolecular distances was performed for three sets of homomolecular crystals under normal conditions: C-Hal1...Hal2-C distances in crystals consisting of: (i) organic compounds (set Org); (ii) organometallic compounds (set Orgmet); and (iii) distances M1-Hal1...Hal2-M2 (set MHal) (in all cases Hal1 = Hal2, and in MHal M1 = M2, M is any metal). When analyzing C-Hal...Hal-C distances, a new method for estimating the values of van der Waals radii is proposed, based on the use of two subsets of distances: (i) the shortest distances from each substance less than a threshold; and (ii) all C-Hal...Hal-C distances less than the same threshold. As initial approximations for these thresholds for different Hal, the Ragg values previously introduced in investigations with the participation of the author were used (Ragg values make it possible to perform a statistical assessment of the presence of halogen aggregates in crystals). The following values are recommended in this work to be used as universal values for crystals of organic and organometallic compounds: RF = 1.57, RCl = 1.90, RBr = 1.99, and RI = 2.15 Å. They are in excellent agreement with the results of some other works but significantly (by 0.10-0.17 Å) greater than the commonly used values. For the Orgmet set, slightly lower values for RI (2.11-2.09 Å) were obtained, but number of the C-I...I-C distances available for analysis was significantly smaller than in the other subgroups, which may be the reason for the discrepancy with value for the Org set (2.15 Å). Statistical analysis of the M-Hal...Hal-M distances was performed for the first time. A Hal-aggregation coefficient for M-Hal bonds is proposed, which allows one to estimate the propensity of M-Hal groups with certain M and Hal to participate in Hal-aggregates formed by M-Hal...Hal-M contacts. In particular, it was found that, for the Hg-Hal groups (Hal = Cl, Br, I), there is a high probability that the crystals have Hg-Hal...Hal-Hg distances with length ≤ Ragg.

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The pnictogen bond, a somewhat overlooked supramolecular chemical synthon known since the middle of the last century, is one of the promising types of non-covalent interactions yet to be fully understood by recognizing and exploiting its properties for the rational design of novel functional materials. Its bonding modes, energy profiles, vibrational structures and charge density topologies, among others, have yet to be comprehensively delineated, both theoretically and experimentally. In this overview, attention is largely centered on the nature of nitrogen-centered pnictogen bonds found in organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide perovskites and closely related structures deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and the Inorganic Chemistry Structural Database (ICSD). Focusing on well-characterized structures, it is shown that it is not merely charge-assisted hydrogen bonds that stabilize the inorganic frameworks, as widely assumed and well-documented, but simultaneously nitrogen-centered pnictogen bonding, and, depending on the atomic constituents of the organic cation, other non-covalent interactions such as halogen bonding and/or tetrel bonding, are also contributors to the stabilizing of a variety of materials in the solid state. We have shown that competition between pnictogen bonding and other interactions plays an important role in determining the tilting of the MX6 (X = a halogen) octahedra of metal halide perovskites in one, two and three-dimensions. The pnictogen interactions are identified to be directional even in zero-dimensional crystals, a structural feature in many engineered ordered materials; hence an interplay between them and other non-covalent interactions drives the structure and the functional properties of perovskite materials and enabling their application in, for example, photovoltaics and optoelectronics. We have demonstrated that nitrogen in ammonium and its derivatives in many chemical systems acts as a pnictogen bond donor and contributes to conferring stability, and hence functionality, to crystalline perovskite systems. The significance of these non-covalent interactions should not be overlooked, especially when the focus is centered on the rationale design and discovery of such highly-valued materials.

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In chemical systems, the arsenic-centered pnictogen bond, or simply the arsenic bond, occurs when there is evidence of a net attractive interaction between the electrophilic region associated with a covalently or coordinately bound arsenic atom in a molecular entity and a nucleophile in another or the same molecular entity. It is the third member of the family of pnictogen bonds formed by the third atom of the pnictogen family, Group 15 of the periodic table, and is an inter- or intramolecular noncovalent interaction. In this overview, we present several illustrative crystal structures deposited into the Cambridge Structure Database (CSD) and the Inorganic Chemistry Structural Database (ICSD) during the last and current centuries to demonstrate that the arsenic atom in molecular entities has a significant ability to act as an electrophilic agent to make an attractive engagement with nucleophiles when in close vicinity, thereby forming σ-hole or π-hole interactions, and hence driving (in part, at least) the overall stability of the system's crystalline phase. This overview does not include results from theoretical simulations reported by others as none of them address the signatory details of As-centered pnictogen bonds. Rather, we aimed at highlighting the interaction modes of arsenic-centered σ- and π-holes in the rationale design of crystal lattices to demonstrate that such interactions are abundant in crystalline materials, but care has to be taken to identify them as is usually done with the much more widely known noncovalent interactions in chemical systems, halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding. We also demonstrate that As-centered pnictogen bonds are usually accompanied by other primary and secondary interactions, which reinforce their occurrence and strength in most of the crystal structures illustrated. A statistical analysis of structures deposited into the CSD was performed for each interaction type As···D (D = N, O, S, Se, Te, F, Cl, Br, I, arene's π system), thus providing insight into the typical nature of As···D interaction distances and ∠R-As···D bond angles of these interactions in crystals, where R is the remainder of the molecular entity.

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A stibium bond, i.e., a non-covalent interaction formed by covalently or coordinately bound antimony, occurs in chemical systems when there is evidence of a net attractive interaction between the electrophilic region associated with an antimony atom and a nucleophile in another, or the same molecular entity. This is a pnictogen bond and are likely formed by the elements of the pnictogen family, Group 15, of the periodic table, and is an inter- or intra-molecular non-covalent interaction. This overview describes a set of illustrative crystal systems that were stabilized (at least partially) by means of stibium bonds, together with other non-covalent interactions (such as hydrogen bonds and halogen bonds), retrieved from either the Cambridge Structure Database (CSD) or the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database (ICSD). We demonstrate that these databases contain hundreds of crystal structures of various dimensions in which covalently or coordinately bound antimony atoms in molecular entities feature positive sites that productively interact with various Lewis bases containing O, N, F, Cl, Br, and I atoms in the same or different molecular entities, leading to the formation of stibium bonds, and hence, being partially responsible for the stability of the crystals. The geometric features, pro-molecular charge density isosurface topologies, and extrema of the molecular electrostatic potential model were collectively examined in some instances to illustrate the presence of Sb-centered pnictogen bonding in the representative crystal systems considered.

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The phosphorus bond in chemical systems, which is an inter- or intramolecular noncovalent interaction, occurs when there is evidence of a net attractive interaction between an electrophilic region associated with a covalently or coordinately bonded phosphorus atom in a molecular entity and a nucleophile in another, or the same, molecular entity. It is the second member of the family of pnictogen bonds, formed by the second member of the pnictogen family of the periodic table. In this overview, we provide the reader with a snapshot of the nature, and possible occurrences, of phosphorus-centered pnictogen bonding in illustrative chemical crystal systems drawn from the ICSD (Inorganic Crystal Structure Database) and CSD (Cambridge Structural Database) databases, some of which date back to the latter part of the last century. The illustrative systems discussed are expected to assist as a guide to researchers in rationalizing phosphorus-centered pnictogen bonding in the rational design of molecular complexes, crystals, and materials and their subsequent characterization.

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We present quantum mechanical estimates for non-bonded, van der Waals-like, radii of 93 atoms in a pressure range from 0 to 300 gigapascal. Trends in radii are largely maintained under pressure, but atoms also change place in their relative size ordering. Multiple isobaric contractions of radii are predicted and are explained by pressure-induced changes to the electronic ground state configurations of the atoms. The presented radii are predictive of drastically different chemistry under high pressure and permit an extension of chemical thinking to different thermodynamic regimes. For example, they can aid in assignment of bonded and non-bonded contacts, for distinguishing molecular entities, and for estimating available space inside compressed materials. All data has been made available in an interactive web application.

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Current interest in lone-pair⋅⋅⋅π (lp⋅⋅⋅π) interactions is gaining momentum in biochemistry and (supramolecular) chemistry. However, the physicochemical origin of the exceptionally short (ca. 2.8 Å) oxygen-to-nucleobase plane distances observed in prototypical Z-DNA CpG steps remains unclear. High-level quantum mechanical calculations, including SAPT2+3 interaction energy decompositions, demonstrate that lp⋅⋅⋅π contacts do not result from n→π* orbital overlaps but from weak dispersion and electrostatic interactions combined with stereochemical effects imposed by the locally strained structural context. They also suggest that the carbon van der Waals (vdW) radii, originally derived for sp3 carbons, should not be used for smaller sp2 carbons attached to electron-withdrawing groups. Using a more adapted carbon vdW radius results in these lp⋅⋅⋅π contacts being no longer of the sub-vdW type. These findings challenge the whole lp⋅⋅⋅π concept that refers to elusive orbital interactions that fail to explain short interatomic contact distances.

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Weak noncovalent interactions are responsible for structure and properties of almost all supramolecular systems, such as nucleic acids, enzymes, and pharmaceutical crystals. However, the analysis of their significance and structural role is not straightforward and commonly requires model studies. Herein, we describe an efficient and universal approach for the analysis of noncovalent interactions and determination of van der Waals radii using the line-of-sight (LoS) concept. The LoS allows to unambiguously identify and classify the "direct" interatomic contacts in complex molecular systems. This approach not only provides an improved theoretical base to molecular "sizes" but also enables the quantitative analysis of specificity, anisotropy, and steric effects of intermolecular interactions.

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Metallophilicity is an essential concept that builds upon the attraction between closed shell metal ions. We report on the [M2 (bisNHC)2 ]2+ (M=AuI , AgI ; NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) systems, which display almost identical features in the solid state. However, in solution the Au2 cation exhibits a significantly higher degree of rigidity owed to the stronger character of the aurophilic interactions. Both Au2 and Ag2 cationic constructs are able to accommodate Ag+ ions via M-M interactions, despite their inherent Coulombic repulsion. When electrostatic repulsion between host and guest is partially diminished, M-M distances are substantially shortened. Quantum chemical calculations estimate intermetallic bond orders up to 0.2. Although at the limit of (or beyond) the van der Waals radii, metallophilic interactions are responsible for their behavior in solution.

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Atomic and cationic radii have been calculated for the first 96 elements, together with selected anionic radii. The metric adopted is the average distance from the nucleus where the electron density falls to 0.001 electrons per bohr(3) , following earlier work by Boyd. Our radii are derived using relativistic all-electron density functional theory calculations, close to the basis set limit. They offer a systematic quantitative measure of the sizes of non-interacting atoms, commonly invoked in the rationalization of chemical bonding, structure, and different properties. Remarkably, the atomic radii as defined in this way correlate well with van der Waals radii derived from crystal structures. A rationalization for trends and exceptions in those correlations is provided.