Molecular Structure of 1,3,5-Tris (Trimethylstannyl) Benzene: An Electron Diffraction Study

The molecular structure of 1,3,5-tris (trimethylstannyl) benzene has been determined by gas-phase electron diffraction. The C — C bond length is in good agreement with that in benzene. In agreement with the somewhat electron-releasing character of the substituents, the endocyclic bond angles at the substituents are somewhat smaller than 120°. The mean value of Sn — C bond lengths is greater than that in tetraphenyltin and tetramethyltin. The SnMe₃ groups appear freely rotating around the C_aryl — Sn bonds. The following bond lengths (r _g) and bond angles were determined: (Sn — C)_mean 2.150 ± 0.007 Å, C — C 1.399 ± 0.005 Å, (C — H)_mean 1.105 ± 0.006 Å, < C — C(Sn) — C 117.7 ± 1.7º, < C_aryl — Sn — C_methyl 106.7 ± 0.7º < Sn — C — H 111.5 ± 0.9º.     

Molecular structure of phenylsilane: a study by gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio molecular orbital calculations

The molecular structure of phenylsilane has been determined accurately by gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio MO calculations at the MP2(f.c.)/6-31G* level. The calculations indicate that the perpendicular conformation of the molecule, with a Si–H bond in a plane orthogonal to the plane of the benzene ring, is the potential energy minimum. The coplanar conformation, with a Si–H bond in the plane of the ring, corresponds to a rotational transition state. However, the difference in energy is very small, 0.13 kJ mol⁻¹, implying free rotation of the substituent at the temperature of the electron diffraction experiment (301 K). Important bond lengths from electron diffraction are: <r_g(C–C)>=1.403±0.003 Å, r_g(Si–C)=1.870±0.004 Å, and r_g(Si–H)=1.497±0.007 Å. The calculations indicate that the C_ipso–C_ortho bonds are 0.010 Å longer than the other C–C bonds. The internal ring angle at the ipso position is 118.1±0.2° from electron diffraction and 118.0° from calculations. This confirms the more than 40-year old suggestion of a possible angular deformation of the ring in phenylsilane, in an early electron diffraction study by F.A. Keidel, S.H. Bauer, J. Chem. Phys. 25 (1956) 1218.     

Comparison of Ab Initio MP2/6-311+G(d,p) Predicted Carbon–Hydrogen Bond Distances with Experimentally Determined r 0 (C–H) Distances

Fifty different carbon–hydrogen distances have been predicted from ab initio MP2/6-311+G(d,p) calculations, which range from a short value of 1.0611 Å for HCNO to a long value of 1.1044 Å for H₂CO. The values include those predicted for a series of methyl (CH₃) moieties where the two different C–H distances vary by as much as 0.005 Å. These predicted values are compared to r ₀(C–H) distances obtained from the isolated carbon–hydrogen stretching frequencies, as well as to r ₀ or r _s parameters obtained from microwave data. Except for the very short C–H bonds, the ab initio values from the MP2/6–311+G(d,p) calculations can be used for the carbon–hydrogen distances with error limits of ± 0.003 Å. By utilizing the spectral data from CD₃CClO, it is shown that combination bands in the C–H stretching region could cause problems in the identification of the isolated C–H stretching frequency from the CD₂HCClO isotopomer. The value of the ab initio predicted C–H distances for checking unusually long or short r _s (C–H) or r ₀ values is demonstrated.     

Molecular Structure of Silicon Tetraiodide

The molecular geometry of silicon tetraiodide was determined by gas-phase electron diffraction at 378 K. The molecule has a regular tetrahedral shape with an Si—I bond length (r _g) of 2.432(5) Å and an II nonbonded distance (r _g) of 3.971(8) Å. There is an apparent anharmonicity in both the stretching and the bending vibrations, with the latter especially pronounced.     

Molecular Structure of ortho-Fluoronitrobenzene Studied by Gas Electron Diffraction and Ab Initio MO Calculations

The molecular structure of ortho-fluoronitrobenzene (o-FNB) has been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio MO calculations. The geometrical parameters and force fields of o-FNB were calculated by ab initio and DFT methods. The obtained force fields were used to calculate vibrational amplitudes required as input parameters in an electron diffraction analysis. Within the experimental error limits, the geometrical parameters obtained from the gas-phase electron diffraction analysis are mostly in agreement with the results obtained from the ab initio calculations. The main results are: the molecular geometry of o-FNB is nonplanar with a dihedral angle about C–N of 38(3)°. The r _g (C–F) bond is shortened to 1.307(13) Å in comparison with r _g (C–F) = 1.356(4) Å in C₆H₅F.     

Molecular Structure of Germanium Dibromide: A Reinvestigation

The electron diffraction intensities of germanium dibromide [1] were reanalyzed based on computational evidence on the geometry of the excited state molecule. It was found that beside the ground state germanium dibromide molecule a small amount of iron dibromide, rather than other germanium dibromide species, may have been present in the vapor. The revised geometrical parameters of GeBr₂ are: r _g(Ge—Br) = 2.359 ± 0.005 Å and _a Br—Ge—Br = 101.0 ± 0.3 Å.     

Molecular structure and conformation of triphenylsilane from gas-phase electron diffraction and theoretical calculations, and structural variations in H4?nSiPhn molecules (n?=?1–4)

The molecular structure of triphenylsilane has been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction and theoretical calculations. The electron diffraction intensities from a previous study (Rozsondai B, Hargittai I, J Organomet Chem 334:269, 1987) have been reanalyzed using geometrical constraints and initial values of vibrational amplitudes from calculations. The free molecule has a chiral, propeller-like equilibrium conformation of C ₃ symmetry, with a twist angle of the phenyl groups τ = 39° ± 3°; the two enantiomeric conformers easily interconvert via three possible pathways. The low-frequency vibrational modes indicate that the three phenyl groups undergo large-amplitude torsional and out-of-plane bending vibrations about their respective Si–C bonds. Least-squares refinement of a model accounting for the bending vibrations gives the following bond distances and angles with estimated total errors: r _g(Si–C) = 1.874 ± 0.004 ?, 〈r _g(C–C)〉 = 1.402 ± 0.003 ?, 〈r _g(C–H)〉 = 1.102 ± 0.003 ?, and ∠_aC–Si–H = 108.6° ± 0.4°. Electron diffraction studies and MO calculations show that the lengths of the Si–C bonds in H_4−n SiPh _n molecules (n = 1–4) increase gradually with n, due to π → σ*(Si–C) delocalization. They also show that the mean lengths of the ring C–C bonds are about 0.003 ? larger than in unsubstituted benzene, due to a one hundredth angstrom lengthening of the C_ipso–C_ortho bonds caused by silicon substitution. A small increase of r(Si–H) and decrease of the ipso angle with increasing number of phenyl groups is also revealed by the calculations.     

Spectra and Structure of Silicon-Containing Compounds. XXV. Raman and Infrared Spectra,r 0 Structural Parameters,Vibrational Assignment,and Ab Initio Calculations of Ethyl Chlorosilane-Si-d2

The infrared (3200 to 400 cm^–1) spectra of gaseous and solid and Raman (3200 to 20 cm^–1) spectra of liquid and solid ethyl chlorosilane-Si-d₂, CH₃CH₂SiD₂Cl, have been recorded. Both the gauche and trans conformers have been identified in the fluid phases, but only the gauche conformer remains in the solid phase. Variable temperature (–105 to –150°C) studies of the infrared spectra of CH₃CH₂SiH₂Cl dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 78±11 cm^–1 (0.93±0.13 kJ/mol), with the gauche conformer the more stable form. Utilizing the frequencies of the silicon-hydrogen stretches, from the chlorosilane-Si-d isotopomer, Si—H bond distances of 1.481 and 1.480 Å have been obtained for the gauche conformer and 1.481 Å for the trans conformer. Complete vibrational assignments are proposed for both isotopomers which are consistent with the predicted frequencies utilizing the force constants from ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. Both the infrared intensities and the Raman activities and depolarization values have been obtained from the ab initio calculations. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31(d), 6-311++G(d,p), and 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis sets with full electron correlation by the Moller–Plesset (MP) perturbation method to second order. Continuing the previously reported rotational constants from five different isotopomers and the ab initio predicted structural parameters, adjusted r ₀ parameters have been calculated, which are compared to the corresponding r _s parameters. The results are discussed and the theoretical values are compared to the experimental values when appropriate.Taken in part from the dissertation of Y. E. Nashed, which will be submitted to the Department of Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree     

Equilibrium Structure of Beryllium Dibromide from Combined Gas Electron Diffraction and Vibrational Spectroscopy Analysis

The molecular structure of BeBr₂ has been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction at the temperature 800(10) K. The conventional analysis yielded the following values: r _g(Be–Br) = 1.944(6)Å, l(Be–Br) = 0.068(4)Å, r _g(Br–Br) = 3.848(8)Å, l(Br–Br) = 0.109(3)Å, k(Be–Br) = 1.1(1.1) × 10^–5 ų, (Br–Br) = 2.1(1.0) × 10^–5 ų. Three models of nuclear dynamics were used to simulate the conventional analysis values—infinitesimal vibrations and two models, which take into account the kinematic and dynamic anharmonicity of the bending vibration. All models give similar values of bond angle, amplitudes, and shrinkage, excluding the harmonic model, which yields too low value l(Br–Br). The equilibrium bond distance r _e(Be–Br) = 1.932(11) Å was estimated, taking into account the anharmonicity corrections for stretching and bending vibrations and centrifugal distortion.     

Molecular Structure of MnI2: A Gas-Phase Electron Diffraction Study

The molecular structure of MnI₂ has been determined by gas-phase electron diffraction. The analysis confirmed the linearity of the equilibrium configuration of the monomer with a bond length (r _g) of 2.538 ± 0.008 Å. The presence of about 7% dimer was also indicated. The experimental data were consistent with the usual dimer model with two halogen bridges but they were insufficient to determine the dimer structure unambiguously.     

Molecular Structure of Silatrane Determined by Gas Electron Diffraction and Quantum-Mechanical Calculations

The geometry of silatrane HSi(OCH₂CH₂)₃N has been determined by gas electron diffraction, ab initio calculations, and vibrational spectroscopy of crystal. Using the scaled force field from DFT calculations the amplitudes and perpendicular corrections were calculated. It was assumed that the silatrane molecule has C ₃ symmetry. The following values (r _g bond lengths in Å and _a bond angles in deg. with three standard deviations from the least-squared refinements using a diagonal weight matrix) are: SiN 2.406(27); NC 1.443(7); OC 1.399(11); SiO 1.648(3); CC 1.504(15); NSiO 78.8(21); SiOC 128.1(11); SiNC 105.4(14); CCO 117.0(26); CCN 108.2(30); CNC 113.2(17); OSiO 116.3(13). The 5-membered rings are flattened. The sum of its bond angles is equal to 537.5(42). It is shown that a very large difference is found for Si—N distance from ab initio and DFT calculating.     

The Equilibrium C–Cl,C–Br,and C–I Bond Lengths from Ab Initio Calculations,Microwave and Infrared Spectroscopies,and Empirical Correlations

The equilibrium structures of a few small molecules containing halogens: methyl halides, cyanogen halides, haloethynes, and halocyanoethynes (from chloride to iodide) are reviewed and redetermined if necessary using high-level ab initio calculations and experimental data from microwave and infrared spectroscopies. The correlation of the r(C–X) (X=Cl, Br, I) bond length with other properties (electronegativity or another bond length) is analyzed. It is shown that simple empirical correlations may be used to make a reliable prediction of the r(C–X) bond length.     

Molecular structure of ethynylbenzene from electron diffraction and ab initio molecular orbital calculations

The molecular structure and benzene ring distortions of ethynylbenzene have been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio MO calculations at the HF/6-31G^* and 6-3G^** levels. Least-squares refinement of a model withC _2v, symmetry, with constraints from the MO calculations, yielded the following important bond distances and angles:r _g(C _i -C _o )=1.407±0.003 Å,r _g(C _o -C _m )=1.397±0.003 Å,r _g(C _m -C _p )=1.400±0.003 Å,r _g(Cr _i -CCH)=1.436 ±0.004 Å,r _g(C=C)=1.205±0.005 Å, C _o -C _i -C _o =119.8±0.4°. The deformation of the benzene ring of ethynylbenzene given by the MO calculations, including o-C_i-C_o=119.4°, is insensitive to the basis set used and agrees with that obtained by low-temperature X-ray crystallography for the phenylethynyl fragment, C₆H₅-CC-, in two different crystal environments. The partial substitution structure of ethynylbenzene from microwave spectroscopy is shown to be inaccurate in the ipso region of the benzene ring.     

The gas-phase molecular structure of 1,1-diethynylsilacyclobutane as determined by means of electron diffraction and ab initio calculations

As a continuation of our systematic investigation of the effect of substituents on the ring geometry and dynamics in silacyclobutanes and in order to explore the role of the silicon atom as a mediator for electronic interactions between the attached fragments, we studied the molecular structure of 1,1-diethynylsilacyclobutane (DESCB) by means of gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio calculations. The structural refinement of the electron diffraction data yielded the following bond lengths (r_a) and bond angles (uncertainties are 3σ): r(Si–C)=1.874(2) Å, r(Si–C)=1.817(1) Å, (C–Si–C)=79.2(6)°, (C–Si–C)=106.5(6)°. The geminal Si–CC moieties were found to be bent outwards by 3.1(15)° and the puckering angle was determined to be 30.0(15)°. The evidently short Si–C bond length, which was also reproduced by the ab initio calculations, could be rationalized as being the consequence of the electronic interaction between the outer π charges of the triple bond and the 3pπ orbitals at the silicon atom. It is also likely that the conjugation of the geminal ethynyl groups leads to an enhancement of this bond contraction. Electrostatic interactions and the subsequent reduction of the covalent radius of the silicon atom may also contribute to this bond shortening. It has been found that the endocyclic Si–C bond length fits nicely within a scheme describing a monotonous decrease of the Si–C bond length with the increase of the electronegativity of the substituent in various geminally substituted silacyclobutanes.A series of related silacyclobutanes and acyclic diethynylsilanes have been studied by applying various ab initio methods and their optimized structures were compared to the structure of DESCB. Among these compounds are 1,1-dicyanosilacyclobutane (DCYSCB), which is isoelectronic to DESCB, 1,1-diethynylcyclobutane (DECB) which is isovalent to DESCB, monoethynylsilacyclobutane (MESCB) and monocyanosilacyclobutane (MCYSCB). Searching for reasonable support for the explanation of the structural results of DESCB we performed detailed natural population analysis as well as Mulliken population analysis (MPA) on DESCB and other related molecules. In contrast to the Mulliken charges, the natural atomic charges provided helpful information concerning the bonding properties in DESCB and the corresponding compounds. By varying the size of some basis sets, we could demonstrate the validity of the repeatedly discussed dependency of the Mulliken MPA on the basis set.For the performance of the quantum mechanical calculations we employed the following methods and basis sets: HF/6-31G(d,p), DFT/B3PW91/6-31G(d), DFT/B3PW91/6-311++G(d,p), MP2/6-31G(d,p) and MP2/6-311++G(d,p).     

Molecular Structure of BiBr3: An Electron Diffraction Study

The molecular structure of BiBr₃ was determined by gas-phase electron diffraction. The principal geometrical parameters are r (Bi—Br) = 2.567 ± 0.005 Å and _221D;Br—Bi—Br = 98.6 ± 0.2°. The force field of the molecule was obtained by a normal coordinate analysis utilizing both experimental vibrational frequencies and electron diffraction mean amplitudes of vibration. The variation of bond lengths and bond angles within the Group 15 trihalides is consistent with the expected trend, except that all bismuth trihalide bond angles appear to be somewhat large.     

The Molecular Structure and the Puckering Potential Function of Octamethylcyclotetrasilane,Si4Me8, Determined by Gas Electron Diffraction and Relaxation Constraints from Ab Initio Calculations

Gas electron diffraction data are applied to determine the geometrical parameters of the octamethylcyclotetrasilane molecule using a dynamic model in which the ring puckering is treated as a large amplitude motion. The structural parameters and parameters of the potential function were refined, taking into account the relaxation of the molecular geometry estimated from ab initio calculations at the Hartree–Fock level of theory using a 6-311G** basis set. The potential function has been described as V() = V ₀[(/ _e )² – 1]² with V ₀ = 1.0 ± 0.5 kcal/mol and _e = 28.3 ± 1.9°, where is the puckering angle of the ring. The geometric parameters at the minimum of V() (r _a in Å, in degrees and errors given as three times the standard deviations including a scale error) are as follows: r(Si—C)_av = 1.894(3), r(Si—Si) = 2.363(3), r(C—H) = 1.104(3), CSiC = 109.5(6), SiSiSi = 88.2(2), SiCH = 111.7(6), C = 4.1, where the tilt C was estimated from ab initio constraints. The structural parameters are compared with those obtained for related compounds.     

Influence of the position of the nitro group on the structural and spectroscopic characteristics of N"-(nitrobenzylidene)isonicotinic hydrazides in the crystalline state

N"-Substituted isonicotinic hydrazides of the general formula Py—C(=O)—N(H)-N"=C(H)—R, where R is o- (1), m- (2), or p-nitrophenyl (3), were studied by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The position of the nitro group in these compounds has no effect on the type of the crystal structure. The crystal packings are based on stacks consisting of antiparallel planar molecules. The molecules from the adjacent stacks are linked to each other via the N—H...N_Py hydrogen bonds. Depending on the position of the nitro group, the N...N_Py distance increases in the series 3 > 1 > 2 and the energy of the hydrogen bonds decreases (according to the IR spectroscopic data) from 3.9 to 3.1 kcal mol^–1. Analysis of the IR spectra demonstrated that the intensity of absorption in the (C—H) stretching region of the pyridine ring increases substantially as the the N—H...N_Py hydrogen bond is strengthened. Some regularities of the changes, which are observed for the (NO₂) bands in the spectra of the nitrophenyl-containing conjugated molecules in solutions, persist in the crystalline state.     

The molecular geometry of iron trifluoride from electron diffraction and a reinvestigation of aluminum trifluoride

The molecular geometry of iron trifluoride has been determined at 1260 K by gas-phase electron diffraction. Use of a platinum envelope during the experiment prevented the iron trifluoride sample from partial reduction otherwise observed at high temperatures. The molecular geometry of aluminum trifluoride has been reinvestigated at 1300 K. The electron diffraction results for both AlF₃ and FeF₃ are compatible with planar bond configuration (D _3h symmetry) with bond lengths (r _g ): Al-F 1.630±0.003 Å and Fe-F 1.763±0.004 Å. Experimental vibrational frequencies support the notion of planarity for aluminum trifluoride. There is no such additional spectroscopic evidence available for iron trifluoride.     

DFT study of the mechanism of alkane hydrogenolysis by transition metal hydrides. 1. Interaction of silica-supported zirconium hydrides with methane

Model reactions of silica-supported zirconium hydrides (Si—O—)₃ZrH and (Si—O—)₂ZrH₂ with methane, resulting in cleavage of a C—H bond in the methane molecule and the formation of (Si—O—)₃ZrCH₃ and (Si—O—)₂Zr(H)CH₃ as products were studied using the DFT approach with the PBE density functional. The processes proceed as bimolecular reactions without preliminary formation of agostic complexes. According to calculations, zirconium dihydrides (Si—O—)₂ZrH₂ are more reactive toward the methane C—H bonds than zirconium monohydrides (Si—O—)₃ZrH. The calculated activation energies of the reactions with participation of zirconium dihydrides (Si—O—)₂ZrH₂ are in better agreement with the known experimental data for the Yermakov—Basset catalytic system.     

Gas Electron Diffraction and Quantum-Mechanical Study of Dimethyloxalate

The geometrical structure and conformation of dimethyloxalate, CH₃OC(O)–C(O)OCH₃, have been studied by gas electron diffraction (GED) and quantum-chemical calculations (MP2 and B3LYP methods with 6-31G* and cc-pVTZ basis sets). The GED analysis with a dynamic model (T = 323 K) results in a mixture of two planar conformers, anti (C_2h symmetry) and syn (C_2v symmetry) orientation of the two C=O bonds. The energy difference between these conformers is 0.02(0.18) kcal/mol and barrier to internal rotation around the C–C bond is 0.44(0.41) kcal/mol. The CH₃ groups occupy synperiplanar positions with respect to the C=O bonds. The following main geometrical parameters for the anti conformer (Å and degrees) have been derived: r_g(C–C) = 1.532(3), r_g(C=O) = 1.203(2), r_g(C_sp3–O) = 1.436(3), r_g(C_sp2–O) = 1.333(3), (C_sp2–C_sp2–O) = 111.9(1.9), (C_sp2–O–C_sp3) = 116.3(1.6), (O–C= O) = 127.0(1.8).This paper is devoted to the 75th anniversary of gas electron diffraction method.