Theoretical Elucidation of the Mechanism of Cleavage of the Aromatic C?C Bond in Quinoxaline by a Tungsten‐Based Complex [W(PMe3)4(η2‐CH2PMe2)H]

The aromatic C? C bond cleavage by a tungsten complex reported recently by Sattler and Parkin 15 offers fresh opportunities for the functionalization of organic molecules. The mechanism of such a process has not yet been determined, which appeals to computational assistance to understand how the unstrained C? C bond is activated at the molecular level. 16 , 17 In this work, by performing density functional theory calculations, we studied various possible mechanisms of cleavage of the aromatic C? C bond in quinoxaline (QoxH) by the W‐based complex [W(PMe₃)₄(η²‐CH₂PMe₂)H]. The calculated results show that the mechanism proposed by Sattler and Parkin involves an overall barrier of as high as 42.0 kcal mol^?1 and thus does not seem to be consistent with the experimental observation. Alternatively, an improved mechanism has been presented in detail, which involves the removal and recoordination of a second PMe₃ ligand on the tungsten center. In our new mechanism, it is proposed that the C? C cleavage occurs prior to the second C? H bond addition, in contrast to Sattler and Parkin’s mechanism in which the C? C bond is broken after the second C? H bond addition. We find that the rate‐determining step of the reaction is the ring‐opening process of the tungsten complex with an activation barrier of 28.5 kcal mol^?1 after the first PMe₃ ligand dissociation from the metal center. The mono‐hydrido species is located as the global minimum on the potential‐energy surface, which is in agreement with the experimental observation for this species. The present theoretical results provide new insight into the mechanism of the remarkable C? C bond cleavage.     

How Is a Metabolic Intermediate Formed in the Mechanism‐Based Inactivation of Cytochrome P450 by Using 1,1‐Dimethylhydrazine: Hydrogen Abstraction or Nitrogen Oxidation?

A precise understanding of the mechanism‐based inactivation of cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) at the quantum mechanical level should allow more reliable predictions of drug–drug interactions than those currently available. Hydrazines are among the molecules that act as mechanism‐based inactivators to terminate the function of P450s, which are essential heme enzymes responsible for drug metabolism in the human body. Despite its importance, the mechanism explaining how a metabolic intermediate (MI) is formed from hydrazine is not fully understood. We used density functional theory (DFT) calculations to compare four possible mechanisms underlying the reaction between 1,1‐dimethylhydrazine (or unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, UDMH) and the reactive compound I (Cpd I) intermediate of P450. Our DFT calculations provided a clear view on how an aminonitrene‐type MI is formed from UDMH. In the most favorable pathway, hydrogen is spontaneously abstracted from the N2 atom of UDMH by Cpd I, followed by a second hydrogen abstraction from the N2 atom by Cpd II. Nitrogen oxidation of nitrogen atoms and hydrogen abstraction from the C? H bond of the methyl group were found to be less favorable than the hydrogen abstraction from the N? H bond. We also found that the reaction of protonated UDMH with Cpd I is rather sluggish. The aminonitrene‐type MI binds to the ferric heme more strongly than a water molecule. This is consistent with the notion that the catalytic cycle of P450 is impeded when such an MI is produced through the P450‐catalyzed reaction.     

The investigation on the relative stability of different clusters of thiourea dioxide in water using gas phase quantum chemical calculations

The relative stability of different clusters of thiourea dioxide (TDO) in water is examined using gas phase quantum chemical calculations at the MP2 and B3LYP level with 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. The possible equilibrium structures and other energetic and geometrical data of the thiourea dioxide clusters, TDO‐(H₂O)_n (n is the number of water molecules), are obtained. The calculation results show that a strong interaction exists between thiourea dioxide and water molecules, as indicated by the binding energies of the TDO clusters progressively increased by adding water molecules. PCM model is used to investigate solvent effect of TDO. We obtained a negative hydration energy of ?20.6 kcal mol^?1 and free‐energy change of ?21.0 kcal mol^?1 in hydration process. On the basis of increasing binding energies with adding water molecules and a negative hydration energy by PCM calculation, we conclude thiourea dioxide can dissolve in water molecules. Furthermore, the increases of the C? S bond distance by the addition of water molecules show that the strength of the C? S bonds is attenuated. We find that when the number of water molecules was up to 5, the C? S bonds of the clusters, TDO‐(H₂O)₅ and TDO‐(H₂O)₆ were ruptured. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Computational studies on azaphosphiridines, or how to effect ring-opening processes through selective bond activation

The relative energies of azaphosphiridine and its isomers, the ring stability towards valence isomerization, and the ring strain, as well as the kinetics and thermodynamics of possible ring‐opening reactions of P^III derivatives ( 1 – 5 ) and P^V chalcogenides ( 6 – 9 ; O to Te), were studied at high levels of theory (up to CCSD(T)). The barrier to inversion at the nitrogen atom in the trimethyl‐substituted P^III derivative 5 increases from 12.11 to 15.25 kcal mol^?1 in the P‐oxide derivative 6 (P^V); the relatively high barrier to inversion at the phosphorus in 5 (75.38 kcal mol^?1) points to a configurationally stable center (MP2/def2‐TZVPP//BP86/def2‐TZVP). The ring strain for azaphosphiridine 5 (av. 22.6 kcal mol^?1) was found to increase upon P‐oxidation ( 6 ) (30.8 kcal mol^?1; same level of theory). Various ring‐bond‐activation processes were studied: N‐protonation of P^III ( 5 ) and P^V ( 6 , 7 ) derivatives leads to highly activated species that readily undergo P? N bond cleavage. In contrast, metal chlorides such as LiCl, CuCl, CuCl₂, BeCl₂, BCl₃, AlCl₃, TiCl₃, and TiCl₄ show little P? N bond activation in 5 and 7 . Remarkably, TiCl₃ selectively activates the C? N bond, and induces stronger bond activation for P^V ( 6, 7 ) than for P^III azaphosphiridines ( 5 ). The ring‐expanding rearrangement of P^V azaphosphiridines 6 – 9 to yield P^III 1,3,2‐chalcogena‐azaphosphetidines 32 a – d is predicted to be preferred for the heavier chalcogenides 7 – 9 , but not for the P‐oxide 6 . The first comparative analysis of three bond strength parameters is presented: 1) the electron density at bond critical points, 2) Wiberg’s bond index, and 3) the relaxed force constant. This reveals the usefulness of these parameters in assessing the degree of ring bond activation.     

Gas‐Phase Infrared Spectroscopy of Substituted Cyanobutadiynes: Roles of the Bromine Atom and Methyl Group as Substituents

The IR spectra of 5‐bromo‐2,4‐pentadiynenitrile (Br?C≡C?C≡C?CN) and 2,4‐hexadiynenitrile (CH₃?C≡C?C≡C?CN), a compound of interstellar interest, have been recorded within the 4000–500 cm^?1 spectral region and calculated by means of high‐level ab initio and density functional calculations. Although the calculated structures of both compounds are rather similar, there are very subtle differences, mainly in the strength of the C≡C bond not directly bound to the substituent. These subtle bonding differences are reflected in small, but not negligible, differences in the electron density at the corresponding bond critical points, and, more importantly, are reflected in the IR spectra. Indeed, the IR spectrum for the bromine derivative presents two well‐differentiated strong bands around 2250 cm^?1, whereas for the methyl derivative both absorptions coalesce in a single band. These bands correspond in both cases to the coupling between C≡C and C≡N stretching displacements. A third, very weak, band also associated with C≡C and C≡N coupled stretches is observed for the bromine derivative, but not for the methyl one, owing to its extremely low intensity.     

The Unexpected Mechanism Underlying the High‐Valent Mono‐Oxo‐Rhenium(V) Hydride Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of CN Functionalities: Insights from a DFT Study

In this study, we theoretically investigated the mechanism underlying the high‐valent mono‐oxo‐rhenium(V) hydride Re(O)HCl₂(PPh₃)₂ ( 1 ) catalyzed hydrosilylation of C?N functionalities. Our results suggest that an ionic S_N2‐Si outer‐sphere pathway involving the heterolytic cleavage of the Si?H bond competes with the hydride pathway involving the C?N bond inserted into the Re?H bond for the rhenium hydride ( 1 ) catalyzed hydrosilylation of the less steric C?N functionalities (phenylmethanimine, PhCH=NH, and N‐phenylbenzylideneimine, PhCH=NPh). The rate‐determining free‐energy barriers for the ionic outer‐sphere pathway are calculated to be ～28.1 and 27.6 kcal mol^?1, respectively. These values are slightly more favorable than those obtained for the hydride pathway (by ～1–3 kcal mol^?1), whereas for the large steric C?N functionality of N,1,1‐tri(phenyl)methanimine (PhCPh=NPh), the ionic outer‐sphere pathway (33.1 kcal mol^?1) is more favorable than the hydride pathway by as much as 11.5 kcal mol^?1. Along the ionic outer‐sphere pathway, neither the multiply bonded oxo ligand nor the inherent hydride moiety participate in the activation of the Si?H bond.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the thermal decomposition reaction of acetone cyclic diperoxide in methyl tert‐butyl ether solution

The thermal decomposition reaction of acetone cyclic diperoxide (3,3,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1,2,4,5‐tetroxane, ACDP), in the temperature range of 130.0–166.0°C and initial concentrations range of 0.4–3.1 × 10^?2 mol kg^?1 has been studied in methyl t‐butyl ether solution. The thermolysis follows first‐order kinetic laws up to at least ca 60% ACDP conversion. Under the experimental conditions, the activation parameters of the initial step of the reaction (ΔH^# = 33.6 ± 1.1 kcal mol^?1; ΔS^# = ?4.1 ± 0.7 cal mol^?1 K^?1; ΔG^# = 35.0 ± 1.1 kcal mol^?1) and acetone, as the only organic product, support a stepwise reaction mechanism with the homolytic rupture of one of its peroxidic bond. Also, participation of solvent molecules in the reaction is postulated given an intermediate diradical, which further decomposes by C? O bond ruptures, yielding a stoichiometric amount of acetone (2 mol per mole of ACDP decomposed). The results are compared with those obtained for the above diperoxide thermolysis in other solvents. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 302–307, 2004     

From As‐Zincoarsasilene (LZn‐As=SiL′) to Arsaethynolato (As≡C−O) and Arsaketenylido (O=C=As) Zinc Complexes

The reactivity of the As‐zincosilaarsene LZn?As=SiL′ A (L=[CH(CMeNDipp)₂]^?, Dipp=2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃, L′=[{C(H)N(2,6‐ⁱPr₂‐C₆H₃)}₂]^2?) towards small molecules was investigated. Due to the pronounced zwitterionic character of the Si=As bond of A , it undergoes addition reactions with H₂O and NH₃, forming LZnAs(H)SiOH(L′) 1 and LZnAs(H)SiNH₂(L′) 2 . Oxygenation of A with N₂O at ?60 °C furnishes the deep blue 1,2‐disiloxydiarsene, [LZnOSi(L′)As]₂ 4 , presumably via dimerization of the arsinidene intermediate LZnOSi(L′)As 3 . Oxygenation of A with CO₂ leads to the monomeric arsaethynolato siloxido zinc complex LZnOSi(L′)(OC≡As) 5 , essentially trapping the intermediary arsinidene 3 with liberated CO following initial oxidation of the Si=As bond. DFT calculations confirm the ambident coordination mode of the anionic [AsCO] ligand in solution, with the O‐arsaethynolato [As≡C?O]^.? in 5 , and the As‐arsaketenylido ligand mode [O=C=As]^? present in LZnO?Si(L′)(?As=C=O) 5′ akin to the analogous phosphorus system, [PCO]^?.     

A New Conformation With an Extraordinarily Long, 3.04 Å Two‐Electron,Six‐Center Bond Observed for the π‐[TCNE]22− Dimer in [NMe4]2[TCNE]2 (TCNE=Tetracyanoethylene)

[NMe₄]₂[TCNE]₂ (TCNE=tetracyanoethenide) formed from the reaction of TCNE and (NMe₄)CN in MeCN has ν_CN IR absorptions at 2195, 2191, 2172, and 2156 cm^?1 and a ν_CC absorption at 1383 cm^?1 that are characteristic of reduced TCNE. The TCNEs have an average central C?C distance of 1.423 Å that is also characteristic of reduced TCNE. The reduced TCNE forms a previously unknown non‐eclipsed, centrosymmetric π‐[TCNE]₂^2? dimer with nominal C₂ symmetry, 12 sub van der Waals interatomic contacts <3.3 Å, a central intradimer separation of 3.039(3) Å, and comparable intradimer C???N distances of 3.050(3) and 2.984(3) Å. The two pairs of central C???C atoms form a ?C?C???C?C of 112.6° that is substantially greater than the 0° observed for the eclipsed D_2h π‐[TCNE]₂^2? dimer possessing a two‐electron, four‐center (2e^?/4c) bond with two C???C components from a molecular orbital (MO) analysis. A MO study combining CAS(2,2)/MRMP2/cc‐pVTZ and atoms‐in‐molecules (AIM) calculations indicates that the non‐eclipsed, C₂ π‐[TCNE]₂^2? dimer exhibits a new type of a long, intradimer bond involving one strong C???C and two weak C???N components, that is, a 2e^?/6c bond. The C₂ π‐[TCNE]₂^2? conformer has a singlet, diamagnetic ground state with a thermally populated triplet excited state with J/k_B=1000 K (700 cm^?1; 86.8 meV; 2.00 kcal mol^?1; H=?2 JS_a?S_b); at the CAS(2,2)/MBMP2 level the triplet is computed to be 9.0 kcal mol^?1 higher in energy than the closed‐shell singlet ground state. The results from CAS(2,2)/NEVPT2/cc‐pVTZ calculations indicate that the C₂ and D_2h conformers have two different local metastable minima with the C₂ conformer being 1.3 kcal mol^?1 less stable. The different natures of the C₂ and D_2h conformers are also noted from the results of valence bond (VB) qualitative diagram that shows a 10e^?/6c bond with one C???C and two C???N bonding components for the C₂ conformer as compared to the 6e^?/4c bond for the D_2h conformer with two C???C bonding components.     

σ‐Insertive Mechanism versus Concerted Non‐insertive Mechanism in the Intramolecular Hydroamination of Aminoalkenes Catalyzed by Phenoxyamine Magnesium Complexes: A Synthetic and Computational Study

The phenoxyamine magnesium complexes [{ONN}MgCH₂Ph] ( 4 a : {ONN}=2,4‐tBu₂‐6‐(CH₂NMeCH₂CH₂NMe₂)C₆H₂O^?; 4 b : {ONN}=4‐tBu‐2‐(CH₂NMeCH₂CH₂NMe₂)‐6‐(SiPh₃)C₆H₂O^?) have been prepared and investigated with respect to their catalytic activity in the intramolecular hydroamination of aminoalkenes. The sterically more shielded triphenylsilyl‐substituted complex 4 b exhibits better thermal stability and higher catalytic activity. Kinetic investigations using complex 4 b in the cyclisation of 1‐allylcyclohexyl)methylamine ( 5 b ), respectively, 2,2‐dimethylpent‐4‐en‐1‐amine ( 5 c ), reveal a first‐order rate dependence on substrate and catalyst concentration. A significant primary kinetic isotope effect of 3.9±0.2 in the cyclisation of 5 b suggests significant N?H bond disruption in the rate‐determining transition state. The stoichiometric reaction of 4 b with 5 c revealed that at least two substrate molecules are required per magnesium centre to facilitate cyclisation. The reaction mechanism was further scrutinized computationally by examination of two rivalling mechanistic pathways. One scenario involves a coordinated amine molecule assisting in a concerted non‐insertive N?C ring closure with concurrent amino proton transfer from the amine onto the olefin, effectively combining the insertion and protonolysis step to a single step. The alternative mechanistic scenario involves a reversible olefin insertion step followed by rate‐determining protonolysis. DFT reveals that a proton‐assisted concerted N?C/C?H bond‐forming pathway is energetically prohibitive in comparison to the kinetically less demanding σ‐insertive pathway (ΔΔG^≠=5.6 kcal mol^?1). Thus, the σ‐insertive pathway is likely traversed exclusively. The DFT predicted total barrier of 23.1 kcal mol^?1 (relative to the {ONN}Mg pyrrolide catalyst resting state) for magnesium?alkyl bond aminolysis matches the experimentally determined Eyring parameter (ΔG^≠=24.1(±0.6) kcal mol^?1 (298 K)) gratifyingly well.     

CH⋅⋅⋅N Hydrogen‐Bonding Interaction in 7‐Azaindole:CHX3 (X=F,Cl) Complexes

The C?H???Y (Y=hydrogen‐bond acceptor) interactions are somewhat unconventional in the context of hydrogen‐bonding interactions. Typical C?H stretching frequency shifts in the hydrogen‐bond donor C?H group are not only small, that is, of the order of a few tens of cm^?1, but also bidirectional, that is, they can be red or blue shifted depending on the hydrogen‐bond acceptor. In this work we examine the C?H???N interaction in complexes of 7‐azaindole with CHCl₃ and CHF₃ that are prepared in the gas phase through supersonic jet expansion using the fluorescence depletion by infra‐red (FDIR) method. Although the hydrogen‐bond acceptor, 7‐azaindole, has multiple sites of interaction, it is found that the C?H???N hydrogen‐bonding interaction prevails over the others. The electronic excitation spectra suggest that both complexes are more stabilized in the S₁ state than in the S₀ state. The C?H stretching frequency is found to be red shifted by 82 cm^?1 in the CHCl₃ complex, which is the largest redshift reported so far in gas‐phase investigations of 1:1 haloform complexes with various substrates. In the CHF₃ complex the observed C?H frequency is blue shifted by 4 cm^?1. This is at variance with the frequency shifts that are predicted using several computational methods; these predict at best a redshift of 8.5 cm^?1. This discrepancy is analogous to that reported for the pyridine‐CHF₃ complex [W. A. Herrebout, S. M. Melikova, S. N. Delanoye, K. S. Rutkowski, D. N. Shchepkin, B. J. van der Veken, J. Phys. Chem. A­ 2005 , 109, 3038], in which the blueshift is termed a pseudo blueshift and is shown to be due to the shifting of levels caused by Fermi resonance between the overtones of the C?H bending and stretching modes. The dissociation energies, (D₀), of the CHCl₃ and CHF₃ complexes are computed (MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ level) as 6.46 and 5.06 kcal mol^?1, respectively.     

Crystal structure of a liquid crystal non‐symmetric dimer: cholesteryl 4‐[4‐(4‐n‐butylphenylethynyl)phenoxy]butanoate

The crystal structure of cholesteryl 4‐[4‐(4‐n‐butylphenylethynyl)phenoxy]butanoate [phase sequence: Cr 155°C (46.1?J?g^?1) SmA 186.8°C (1.5?J?g^?1) TGB‐N* 204.7 (6?J?g^?1) I] has been solved from single crystal X‐ray diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁ with unit cell parameters: a?=?13.129(2), b?=?9.3904(10), c?=?17.4121(8)?Å, β?=?92.790(7)°, Z?=?2. The structure has been solved by direct methods and refined to R?=?0.0606 for 3?250 observed reflections. The bond distances and angles are in good agreement with the corresponding values for compounds containing phenyl and cholesterol moieties. The phenyl rings A and B are planar. The dihedral angle between the least‐squares planes of the two phenyl rings is 28°. The cholesterol moiety has the usual structure: the C and E rings have chair conformations, and the D and F rings adopt half‐chair conformations. The molecules in the unit cell are arranged in an antiparallel manner. The crystal structure is stabilized by an intermolecular C–H…O contact of 2.989(10)?Å.     

C-H bond activation of methane in aqueous solution: a hybrid quantum mechanical/effective fragment potential study

In this study, we investigated the C? H bond activation of methane catalyzed by the complex [PtCl₄]^2?, using the hybrid quantum mechanical/effective fragment potential (EFP) approach. We analyzed the structures, energetic properties, and reaction mechanism involved in the elementary steps that compose the catalytic cycle of the Shilov reaction. Our B3LYP/SBKJC/cc‐pVDZ/EFP results show that the methane activation may proceed through two pathways: (i) electrophilic addition or (ii) direct oxidative addition of the C? H bond of the alkane. The electrophilic addition pathway proceeds in two steps with formation of a σ‐methane complex, with a Gibbs free energy barrier of 24.6 kcal mol^?1, followed by the cleavage of the C? H bond, with an energy barrier of 4.3 kcal mol^?1. The activation Gibbs free energy, calculated for the methane uptake step was 24.6 kcal mol^?1, which is in good agreement with experimental value of 23.1 kcal mol^?1 obtained for a related system. The results shows that the activation of the C? H bond promoted by the [PtCl₄]^2? catalyst in aqueous solution occurs through a direct oxidative addition of the C? H bond, in a single step, with an activation free energy of 25.2 kcal mol^?1, as the electrophilic addition pathway leads to the formation of a σ‐methane intermediate that rapidly undergoes decomposition. The inclusion of long‐range solvent effects with polarizable continuum model does not change the activation energies computed at the B3LYP/SBKJC/cc‐pVDZ/EFP level of theory significantly, indicating that the large EFP water cluster used, obtained from Monte Carlo simulations and analysis of the center‐of‐mass radial pair distribution function, captures the most important solvent effects. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011     

Addition of alkynes to a gallium bis-amido complex: imitation of transition-metal-based catalytic systems

Acetylene, phenylacetylene, and alkylbutynoates add reversibly to (dpp‐bian)Ga–Ga(dpp‐bian) (dpp‐bian=1,2‐bis[(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)‐imino]acenaphthene) to give addition products [dpp‐bian(R¹C?CR²)]Ga–Ga[(R²C?CR¹)dpp‐bian]. The alkyne adds across the Ga? N? C section, which results in new carbon–carbon and carbon–gallium bonds. The adducts were characterized by electron absorption, IR, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and their molecular structures have been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. According to the X‐ray data, a change in the coordination number of gallium from three [in (dpp‐bian)Ga–Ga(dpp‐bian)] to four (in the adducts) results in elongation of the metal–metal bond by approximately 0.13 Å. The adducts undergo a facile alkynes elimination at elevated temperatures. The equilibrium between [dpp‐bian(PhC?CH)]Ga–Ga[(HC?CPh)dpp‐bian] and [(dpp‐bian)Ga–Ga(dpp‐bian) + 2 PhC?CH] in toluene solution was studied by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The equilibrium constants at various temperatures (298≤T≤323 K) were determined, from which the thermodynamic parameters for the phenylacetylene elimination were calculated (ΔG°=2.4 kJ mol^?1, ΔH°=46.0 kJ mol^?1, ΔS°=146.0 J K^?1mol^?1). The reactivity of (dpp‐bian)Ga–Ga(dpp‐bian) towards alkynes permits use as a catalyst for carbon–nitrogen and carbon–carbon bond‐forming reactions. The bisgallium complex was found to be a highly effective catalyst for the hydroamination of phenylacetylene with anilines. For instance, with [(dpp‐bian)Ga–Ga(dpp‐bian)] (2 mol %) in benzene more than 99 % conversion of PhNH₂ and PhC?CH into PhN?C(Ph)CH₃ was achieved in 16 h at 90 °C. Under similar conditions, the reaction of 1‐aminoanthracene with PhC?CH catalyzed by (dpp‐bian)Ga–Ga(dpp‐bian) formed a carbon–carbon bond to afford 1‐amino‐2‐(1‐phenylvinyl)anthracene in 99 % yield.     

Mercury Cyanides and Isocyanides: NCHgCN and CNHgNC as well as NCHgHgCN and CNHgHgNC: Simple Molecules with Short,Strong Hg−Hg Bonds

Mercury atoms, laser‐ablated from an amalgam dental filling target, react with cyanogen in excess argon during condensation at 4 K to form two major products in the 2200 cyanide M?C?N stretching region of the IR spectrum, which were assigned to NCHgCN and NCHgHgCN from their antisymmetric C?N stretching mode absorptions at 2213.8 and 2180.1 cm^?1. Two broader bands in the isocyanide region at 2098.2 and 2089.6 cm^?1 were assigned to CNHgNC and CNHgHgNC. The N‐bonded isomers were computed to be 603/33 and 823/69 times more intense IR absorbers than the C‐bonded isomers at the CCSD level of theory. The dissociation energy for the NCHg?HgCN molecule into two HgCN molecules was calculated to be 296 kJ mol^?1 and that for CNHg?HgNC into two HgNC molecules is 304 kJ mol^?1. These simple molecules with two cyanide or two isocyanide ligands have two of the shortest and strongest known Hg?Hg single bonds as the two electronegative CN ligands withdraw antibonding electron density from the bonding region.     

Mercury Cyanides and Isocyanides: NCHgCN and CNHgNC as well as NCHgHgCN and CNHgHgNC: Simple Molecules with Short,Strong Hg−Hg Bonds

Mercury atoms, laser‐ablated from an amalgam dental filling target, react with cyanogen in excess argon during condensation at 4 K to form two major products in the 2200 cyanide M?C?N stretching region of the IR spectrum, which were assigned to NCHgCN and NCHgHgCN from their antisymmetric C?N stretching mode absorptions at 2213.8 and 2180.1 cm^?1. Two broader bands in the isocyanide region at 2098.2 and 2089.6 cm^?1 were assigned to CNHgNC and CNHgHgNC. The N‐bonded isomers were computed to be 603/33 and 823/69 times more intense IR absorbers than the C‐bonded isomers at the CCSD level of theory. The dissociation energy for the NCHg?HgCN molecule into two HgCN molecules was calculated to be 296 kJ mol^?1 and that for CNHg?HgNC into two HgNC molecules is 304 kJ mol^?1. These simple molecules with two cyanide or two isocyanide ligands have two of the shortest and strongest known Hg?Hg single bonds as the two electronegative CN ligands withdraw antibonding electron density from the bonding region.