Michael J. Lecours

Janus Face Aspect of All-cis 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexafluorocyclohexane Dictates Remarkable Anion and Cation Interactions In the Gas Phase

Experiments have been carried out in which electrospray ionization has been used to generate ionic complexes of all-cis 1,2,3,4,5,6 hexafluorocyclohexane. These complexes were subsequently mass isolated in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer and then irradiated by the tunable infrared output of a free electron laser in the 800-1600 cm(-1) range. From the frequency dependence of the fragmentation of the complexes, vibrational signatures of the complexes were obtained. Computational work carried out in parallel reveals that the complexes formed are very strongly bound and are among the most strongly bound complexes of Na(+) and Cl(-) ever observed with molecular species. The dipole moment calculated for the heaxafluorocyclohexane is very large (∼7 D), and it appears that the bonding in each of the complexes has a significant electrostatic contribution.

Density Functional Theory Study of RhnS0,± and Rhn+10,± (n = 1–9)

A basin-hopping search strategy has been used to determine likely candidates for low-energy Rh(n)S(0,±) (n = 1-9) cluster structures. Cluster structures were optimized at the density functional level of theory using the PBE and PBE0 functionals. Ionization energies, electron detachment energies, HOMO-LUMO gap energies, UV-visible spectra, low-lying fragmentation channels and energies, cluster structures, spin multiplicities, and vibrational spectra are predicted for Rh(n)S(0,±) and Rh(n+1)(0,±) (n = 1-9). Donation from valence sulfur atomic p orbitals to valence rhodium atomic d orbitals and back-donation to valence sulfur atomic d orbitals leads to electron density delocalization and metal-like behavior for rhodium sulfide clusters.

Interaction of B12F122– with All-cis 1,2,3,4,5,6 Hexafluorocyclohexane in the Gas Phase

Clusters of all-cis 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexafluorocyclohexane and the dodecafluorododecaboron dianion, [C6F6H6]n[B12F12]2- (n = 0-4), are investigated in a combined experimental and computational study. DFT calculations and IRMPD spectra in the region of 800-2000 cm-1 indicate that C6H6F6 binds to open trigonal faces of B12F122- via a three-point interlocking binding motif. Calculated binding interactions reveal substantial contributions from C-H···F hydrogen bonding and binding energies that are among the strongest observed for a neutral-anion system.

Infrared-Driven Charge-Transfer in Transition Metal-Containing B12X122– (X = H, F) Clusters

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy are employed to probe [TM·(B12H12)]- and [TM·(B12H12)2]2- clusters [TM = Ag(I), Cu(I), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)]. A comparison is made between the charge-transfer properties of the clusters containing the hydrogenated dodecaborate dianions, B12H122-, and the fluorinated analogues, B12F122-, for clusters containing Cd(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II). IRMPD of the [TM·(B12H12)]- and [TM·(B12H12)2]2- species yields B12H11- via hydride abstraction and B12H12- in all cases. To further explore the IR-induced charge-transfer properties of the B12X122- (X = H, F) cages, mixed-cage [TM(B12H12)(B12F12)]2- [TM = Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)] clusters were investigated. IRMPD of the mixed-cage species yielded appreciable amounts of B12F12- and B12H12- in most cases, indicating that charge-transfer to the central TM cation is a favorable process; formation of B12F12- is the dominant process for the Co(II) and Ni(II) mixed-cage complexes. In contrast, the Zn(II) and Cd(II) mixed-cage complexes preferentially produced fragments of the form B xH yF z-/2-, suggesting that H/F scrambling and/or fusion of the boron cages occurs along the IRMPD pathway.