Ibon Alkorta

From weak to strong interactions: A comprehensive analysis of the topological and energetic properties of the electron density distribution involving X–H⋯F–Y systems

The topological and energetic properties of the electron density distribution ρ(r) of the isolated pairwise H⋯F interaction have been theoretically calculated at several geometries (0.8<d<2.5 A) and represented against the corresponding internuclear distances. From long to short geometries, the results presented here lead to three characteristic regions, which correspond to three different interaction states. While the extreme regions are associated to pure closed-shell (CS) and shared-shell (SS) interactions, the middle one has been related to the redistribution of ρ(r) between those electronic states. The analysis carried out with this system has permitted to associate the transit region between pure CS and SS interactions to internuclear geometries involved in the building of the H–F bonding molecular orbital. A comparative analysis between the formation of this orbital and the behavior of some characteristic ρ(r) properties has indicated their intrinsic correspondence, leading to the definition of a b...

Definition of the hydrogen bond (IUPAC Recommendations 2011)

A novel definition for the hydrogen bond is recommended here. It takes into account the theoretical and experimental knowledge acquired over the past century. This definition insists on some evidence. Six criteria are listed that could be used as evidence for the presence of a hydrogen bond.

Defining the hydrogen bond: An account (IUPAC Technical Report)

The term “hydrogen bond” has been used in the literature for nearly a century now. While its importance has been realized by physicists, chemists, biologists, and material scientists, there has been a continual debate about what this term means. This debate has intensified following some important experimental results, especially in the last decade, which questioned the basis of the traditional view on hydrogen bonding. Most important among them are the direct experimental evidence for a partial covalent nature and the observation of a blue-shift in stretching frequency following X–H···Y hydrogen bond formation (XH being the hydrogen bond donor and Y being the hydrogen bond acceptor). Considering the recent experimental and theoretical advances, we have proposed a new definition of the hydrogen bond, which emphasizes the need for evidence. A list of criteria has been provided, and these can be used as evidence for the hydrogen bond formation. This list is followed by some characteristics that are observed in typical hydrogen-bonding environments.

Non-conventional hydrogen bonds

Hydrogen bonds (HBs) are the most important ‘weak’ interactions encountered in solid, liquid and gas phases. The HB can be defined as an attractive interaction between two molecular moieties in which at least one of them contains a hydrogen atom that plays a fundamental role. Classical HBs correspond to those formed by two heteroatoms, A and B, with a hydrogen atom bonded to one of them and located approximately in between (A–H···B). Recently, knowledge of the number of functional groups which act as hydrogen bond donors or acceptors has increased considerably and most of these new groups are discussed.

About the evaluation of the local kinetic, potential and total energy densities in closed-shell interactions

Abstract The local kinetic G( r ) , potential V( r ) and total E( r ) energy densities, calculated at the critical points of 37 H⋯F closed-shell interactions by quantum mechanical methods, have been compared to their estimated values obtained by using an approximate evaluation of G( r ) and the local form of the virial theorem. The results presented here show very small differences between the corresponding quantities, and therefore support the validity of the estimations. Thus, the equations used in this procedure provide useful information for topological studies of experimental electron densities, permitting the evaluation of those energetic properties from the modelling of the topological properties of the electron density distribution.

Water Clusters: Towards an Understanding Based on First Principles of Their Static and Dynamic Properties**

If a single molecule were to be selected as the most important chemical entity for life, most people would agree that this is water. Moreover, water has been used to find a common definition for the Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin scales through its melting, boiling, and triple points. It is clear that these points are bulk properties and that a single H2O molecule has neither a melting nor a boiling point. Therefore, water offers a paradigmatic case for studying the transition from quantum reality to classical physics: How many water molecules are necessary for the bulk properties to appear? Water clusters, discrete or polymeric (ice), can be seen as one of the simplest models connecting molecular to supramolecular chemistry. Consider, for instance, one of the possible water hexamers, I, and cyclohexane (II), both undergoing boat ‐ chair equilibria (Scheme 1). The study by

Universal Features of the Electron Density Distribution in Hydrogen-Bonding Regions: A Comprehensive Study Involving H⋅⋅⋅X (X=H, C, N, O, F, S, Cl, π) Interactions

Topological analyses of the theoretically calculated electron densities for a large set of 163 hydrogen-bonded complexes show that HX interactions can be classified in families according to X (X=atom or pi orbital). Each family is characterised by a set of intrinsic dependencies between the topological and energetic properties of the electron density at the hydrogen-bond critical point, as well as between each of them and the bonding distance. Comparing different atom-acceptor families, these dependencies are classified as a function of the van der Waals radius r(X) or the electronegativity chi(X), which can be explained in terms of the molecular orbitals involved in the interaction. According to this ordering, the increase of chi(X) leads to a larger range of HX distances for which the interaction is of pure closed-shell type. Same dependencies observed for HO interactions experimentally characterised by means of high-resolution X-ray diffraction data show a good agreement with those obtained from theoretical calculations, in spite of a larger dispersion of values around the expected fitting functions in the experimental case. Theoretical dependencies can thus be applied to the analysis of the experimental electron density for detecting either unconventional hydrogen bonds or problems in the modelling of the experimental electron density.

Competition of Hydrogen Bonds and Halogen Bonds in Complexes of Hypohalous Acids with Nitrogenated Bases

A theoretical study of the complexes formed by hypohalous acids (HOX, X = F, Cl, Br, I, and At) with three nitrogenated bases (NH 3, N 2, and NCH) has been carried out by means of ab initio methods, up to MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ computational method. In general, two minima complexes are found, one with an OH...N hydrogen bond and the other one with a X...N halogen bond. While the first one is more stable for the smallest halogen derivatives, the two complexes present similar stabilities for the iodine case and the halogen-bonded structure is the most stable one for the hypoastatous acid complexes.

On the Reliability of Pure and Hybrid DFT Methods for the Evaluation of Halogen, Chalcogen, and Pnicogen Bonds Involving Anionic and Neutral Electron Donors.

In this article, we report a comprehensive theoretical study of halogen, chalcogen, and pnicogen bonding interactions using a large set of pure and hybrid functionals and some ab initio methods. We have observed that the pure and some hybrid functionals largely overestimate the interaction energies when the donor atom is anionic (Cl(-) or Br(-)), especially in the halogen bonding complexes. To evaluate the reliability of the different DFT (BP86, BP86-D3, BLYP, BLYP-D3, B3LYP, B97-D, B97-D3, PBE0, HSE06, APFD, and M06-2X) and ab initio (MP2, RI-MP2, and HF) methods, we have compared the binding energies and equilibrium distances to those obtained using the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, as reference. The addition of the latest available correction for dispersion (D3) to pure functionals is not recommended for the calculation of halogen, chalcogen, and pnicogen complexes with anions, since it further contributes to the overestimation of the binding energies. In addition, in chalcogen bonding interactions, we have studied how the hybridization of the chalcogen atom influences the interaction energies.

Charge-Transfer Complexes between Dihalogen Compounds and Electron Donors

A theoretical study of the charge-transfer complexes formed by dihalogen compounds (F2, Cl2, Br2, FBr, FCl, and ClBr) and electron donors (FH, OH2, NH3, CO, NCH, and C2H2) has been carried out. The geometries, energies, and electronic and spectroscopic properties of these complexes have been compared with the corresponding properties of the hydrogen bonded complexes of FH with the same electron donors. The hybrid HF-DFT, B3LYP, and second-order Mollet−Plesset perturbation, MP2, methods have been used. The properties analyzed include geometry, energy, electron distribution using the atoms in molecules (AIM) methodology, and spectroscopic constants of the complexes and monomers. Similarities in the variations of the geometries, in the trends in the interaction energetic, and in the topological electron density characteristics between the properties of the HB complexes and the dihalogen charge-transfer systems are pointed out. The main differences correspond to the variation trend of the atomic properties an...