The Prominent Enhancing Effect of the Cation–π Interaction on the Halogen–Hydride Halogen Bond in M1⋅⋅⋅C6H5X⋅⋅⋅HM2

We designed M¹???C₆H₅X???HM² (M¹=Li⁺, Na⁺; X=Cl, Br; M²=Li, Na, BeH, MgH) complexes to enhance halogen–hydride halogen bonding with a cation–π interaction. The interaction strength has been estimated mainly in terms of the binding distance and the interaction energy. The results show that halogen–hydride halogen bonding is strengthened greatly by a cation–π interaction. The interaction energy in the triads is two to six times as much as that in the dyads. The largest interaction energy is ?8.31 kcal mol^?1 for the halogen bond in the Li⁺???C₆H₅Br???HNa complex. The nature of the cation, the halogen donor, and the metal hydride influence the nature of the halogen bond. The enhancement effect of Li⁺ on the halogen bond is larger than that of Na⁺. The halogen bond in the Cl donor has a greater enhancement than that in the Br one. The metal hydride imposes its effect in the order HBeH<HMgH<HNa<HLi for the Cl complex and HBeH<HMgH<HLi<HNa for the Br complex. The large cooperative energy indicates that there is a strong interplay between the halogen–hydride halogen bonding and the cation–π interaction. Natural bond orbital and energy decomposition analyses indicate that the electrostatic interaction plays a dominate role in enhancing halogen bonding by a cation–π interaction.