Theoretical predictions of the structure, gas-phase acidity and aromaticity of 1,2-diseleno-3,4-dithiosquaric acid

Results of ab initio self-consistent-field (SCF) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the gas-phase structure, acidity (free energy of deprotonation, ΔG^o), and aromaticity of 1,2-diseleno-3,4-dithiosquaric acid (3,4-dithiohydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-diselenone, H₂C₄Se₂S₂) are reported. The global minimum found on the potential energy surface of 1,2-diseleno-3,4-dithiosquaric acid presents a planar conformation. The ZZ isomer was found to have the lowest energy among the three planar conformers and the ZZ and ZE isomers are very close in energy. The optimized geometric parameters exhibit a bond length equalization relative to reference compounds, cyclobutanediselenone, and cyclobutenedithiol. The computed aromatic stabilization energy (ASE) by homodesmotic reaction (Eq 1) is −20.1 kcal/mol (MP2(fu)/6-311+G** //RHF/6-311+G**) and −14.9 kcal/mol (B3LYP//6-311+G**//B3LYP/6-311+G**). The aromaticity of 1,2-diseleno-3,4-dithiosquaric acid is indicated by the calculated diamagnetic susceptibility exaltation (Λ) −17.91 (CSGT(IGAIM)-RHF/6-311+G**//RHF/6-311+G**) and −31.01 (CSGT(IGAIM)-B3LYP/6-311+G**//B3LYP/6-311+G**). Thus, 1,2-diseleno-3,4-dithiosquaric acid fulfils the geometric, energetic and magnetic criteria of aromaticity. The calculated theoretical gas-phase acidity is ΔG^o _1(298K)=302.7 kcal/mol and ΔG^o _2(298K)=388.4 kcal/mol. Hence, 1,2-diseleno-3,4-dithiosquaric acid is a stronger acid than squaric acid(3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione, H₂C₄O₄). Received: 11 April 2000 / Accepted: 7 July 2000 / Published online: 27 September 2000