Alexandra O. Borissova

Estimation of Dissociation Energy in Donor−Acceptor Complex AuCl·PPh3 via Topological Analysis of the Experimental Electron Density Distribution Function

The high-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis and plane-wave density functional theory were applied to the investigation of charge density distribution in the donor-acceptor complex of AuCl with PPh3. The approach allows us to estimate the atomic charges, the charge transfer, the energy of weak interactions (Au...H, Au...C, H...Cl, etc.), and Au-P bond energy directly from the experimental data.

Geometry and spectral properties of the protonated homodimer of pyridine in the liquid and solid states. A combined NMR, X-ray diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering study.

The structure and spectral signatures of the protonated homodimer of pyridine in its complex with a poorly coordinating anion have been studied in solution in CDF(3)/CDClF(2) down to 120 K and in a single crystal. In both phases, the hydrogen bond is asymmetric. In the solution, the proton is involved in a fast reversible transfer that determines the multiplicity of NMR signals and the sign of the primary H/D isotope effect of --0.95 ppm. The proton resonates at 21.73 ppm that is above any value reported in the past and is indicative of a very short hydrogen bond. By combining X-ray diffraction analysis with model computations, the position of the proton in the crystal has been defined as d(N-H) = 1.123 Å and d(H···N) = 1.532 Å. The same distances have been estimated using a (15)N NMR correlation. The frequency of the protonic out-of-plane bending mode is 822 cm(-1) in agreement with Novaks correlation.

Mutual Influence of Cyclopentadienyl and Carbonyl Ligands in Cymantrene: QTAIM Study

The phenomenon of bond length alternation in the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand of cymantrene (eta(5)-C(5)H(5))Mn(CO)(3) was investigated using high-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and quantum chemical calculations. It was shown that the trans-effect of strong field CO ligands causes the redistribution of electron density in the Cp ring, and it manifests in atomic charges and energy of its carbon atoms. The angle C(Cp)-Mn-CO is characteristic for this feature and can be used for the prediction of bond lengths and the charge distribution in the aromatic fragment in various piano-stool-type complexes.

Crucial role of Ru⋯H interactions in the crystal packing of ruthenocene and its derivatives

The peculiarities of crystal packing of ruthenocene (η5-C5H5)2Ru and its derivatives were investigated by means of high resolution X-ray diffraction analysis of electron density distribution and analysis of the Cambridge Structural Database. The combination of experimental data and statistical treatment made it possible to conclude that the increase of the M⋯Cp separation in ruthenocene and its derivatives leads to the principally different system of intermolecular contacts preventing crystal disorder as compared to 3d-metallocenes.

Energy Analysis of Competing Non-Covalent Interaction in 1:1 and 1:2 Adducts of Collidine with Benzoic Acids by Means of X-Ray Diffraction

Abstract The hydrogen bond pattern and the types of non-covalent interactions in the crystals of the 1:1 and 1:2 adducts of 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine and benzoic acids are studied using high-resolution X-ray diffraction. The geometries of the hydrogen bonds are estimated using a combined XRD/DFT approach that provides the geometrical parameters within the margin of error of neutron diffraction studies. The energies of the non-covalent interactions are estimated on the base of the experimental electron density distribution function. It is shown that the structures of the adducts are governed by the NOH and OHO hydrogen bonds. In turn, C-H...O contacts and stacking interactions define the packing of the adducts in the crystal. On the other hand, it is important to note that the latter interactions affect the competition of the former hydrogen bonds in some 1:2 adducts.

Ligand Design for Site-Selective Metal Coordination: Synthesis of Transition-Metal Complexes with η6-Coordination of the Central Ring of Anthracene

A polycyclic aromatic ligand for site-selective metal coordination was designed by using DFT calculations. The computational prediction was confirmed by experiments: 2,3,6,7-tetramethoxy-9,10-dimethylanthracene initially reacts with [(C5 H5 )Ru(MeCN)3 ]BF4 to give the kinetic product with a [(C5 H5 )Ru]+ fragment coordinated at the terminal ring, which is then transformed into the thermodynamic product with coordination through the central ring. These isomeric complexes have markedly different UV/Vis spectra, which was explained by analysis of the frontier orbitals. At the same time, the calculations suggest that electrostatic interactions are mainly responsible for the site selectivity of the coordination.

NMR Study of Solvation Effect on the Geometry of Proton-Bound Homodimers of Increasing Size

Hydrogen bond geometries in the proton-bound homodimers of quinoline and acridine derivatives in an aprotic polar solution have been experimentally studied using 1H NMR at 120 K. The reported results show that an increase of the dielectric permittivity of the medium results in contraction of the N···N distance. The degree of contraction depends on the homodimers size and its substituent-specific solvation features. Neither of these effects can be reproduced using conventional implicit solvent models employed in computational studies. In general, the N···N distance in the homodimers of pyridine, quinoline, and acridine derivatives decreases in the sequence gas phase > solid state > polar solvent.