Molecular dynamics study on the relationships of modeling, structural and energy properties with sensitivity for RDX-based PBXs

In this paper,a primary model is established for MD(molecular dynamics) simulation for the PBXs(polymer-bonded explosives) with RDX(cyclotrimethylene trinitramine) as base explosive and PS as polymer binder.A series of results from the MD simulation are compared between two PBX models,which are represented by PBX1 and PBX2,respectively,including one PS molecular chain having 46 repeating units and two PS molecular chains with each having 23 repeating units.It has been found that their structural,interaction energy and mechanical properties are basically consistent between the two models.A systematic MD study for the PBX2 is performed under NPT conditions at five different temperatures,i.e.,195 K,245 K,295 K,345 K,and 395 K.We have found that with the temperature increase,the maximum bond length(L max) of RDX N N trigger bond increases,and the interaction energy(E N-N) between two N atoms of the N-N trigger bond and the cohesive energy density(CED) decrease.These phenomena agree with the experimental fact that the PBX becomes more sensitive as the temperature increases.Therefore,we propose to use the maximum bond length L max of the trigger bond of the easily decomposed and exploded component and the interaction energy E N-N of the two relevant atoms as theoretical criteria to judge or predict the relative degree of heat and impact sensitivity for the energetic composites such as PBXs and solid propellants.     

Cluster bonding and energetics of the borane anions,BnHn2− (n = 5–12): A comparative study using bond length—bond enthal

Cluster bond enthalpies, E_L(BB), and orders, n?(BB), for the structurally characterised closo anions, B_nH_n^2? (n = 6 and 8–12), have been estimated using the logarithmic length—enthalpy and enthalpy—order relationships E_L(BB) (kJ mol^?1) = 1.766 × 10¹¹ [L(BB)]^?4.0 and E_L(BB) (kJ mol^?1) = 318.8[n?(BB)]^0.697, respectively. In a parallel study, the molecular-orbital bond index CNDO-based calculation method has been used to give BB and BH bond indices, I(BB) and I(BH), from which bond index based bond enthalpies, E_I, have been calculated using the relationships E_I(BB) = 297.9 I(BB) and E_I(BH) = 374.8I(BH) (enthalpies in kJ mol^?1; lengths in pm). From these, total skeletal bond enthalpies Σ E(BB), and total bond enthalpies, Σ E(BB) + Σ E(BH), have been calculated. Although calculated values of E_L and Σ E_L generally exceed those of E_I and Σ E_I by some 8% and calculated values of I generally exceed those of n? by a greater amount, the trends in these parameters for the series of B_nH_n^2? anions are very similar, showing the greater efficiency with which the n + 1 skeletal electron pairs are used as n increases. However, the two approaches differ in that, whereas the Σ E_I values suggest that the anions are all of comparable stability, the ΣE_L values clearly show B₆H₆^2?, B₁₀H₁₀^2? and B₁₂H₁₂^2? to be more stable than B₈H₈^2?, B₉H₉^2? and B₁₁H₁₁^2?. The interatomic distances in B₇H₇^2? and in the unknown B₅ H₅^2? are estimated and used to assess their relative stabilities. The E_L values suggest that B₇ H₇^2? is of comparable stability to B₈H₈^2? etc., but show B₅H₅^2? as relatively unstable. The E_I values suggest that both of these anions should be relatively stable members of the series of closo anions.     

DFT quantum-chemical calculations of nitrogen oxide chemisorption and reactivity on the Cu(100) surface

A DFT quantum-chemical study of NO adsorption and reactivity on the Cu₂₀ and Cu₁₆ metal clusters showed that only the molecular form of NO is stabilized on the copper surface. The heat of monomolecular adsorption was calculated to be ΔH _m = ?49.9 kJ/mol, while dissociative adsorption of NO is energetically unfavorable, ΔH _d = + 15.7 kJ/mol, and dissociation demands a very high activation energy, E _a = + 125.4 kJ/mol. Because of the absence of NO dissociation on the copper surface, the formation mechanism of the reduction products, N₂ and N₂O, is debatable since the surface reaction ultimately leads to N-O bond cleavage. As the reaction occurs with a very low activation energy, E _a = 7.3 kJ/mol, interpretation of the NO direct reduction mechanism is both an important and intriguing problem because the binding energy in the NO molecule is high (630 kJ/mol) and the experimental studies revealed only physically adsorbed forms on the copper surface. It was found that the formation mechanism of the N₂ and N₂O reduction products involves formation (on the copper surface) of the (O_adN-NO_ad) dimer intermediate that is chemisorbed via the oxygen atoms and characterized by a stable N-N bond (r _N-N ～1.3 Å). The N-N binding between the adsorbed NO molecules occurs through electron-accepting interaction between the oxygen atoms in NO and the metal atoms on the “defective” copper surface. The electronic structure of the (O_adN-NO_ad) surface dimer is characterized by excess electron density (ON-NO)^δ? and high reactivity in N-O_ad bond dissociation. The calculated activation energy of the destruction of the chemisorbed intermediate (O_adN-NO_ad) is very low (E _a = 5–10 kJ/mol), which shows that it is kinetically unstable against the instantaneous release of the N₂ and N₂O reduction products into the gas phase and cannot be identified by modern experimental methods of metal surface studies. At the same time, on the MgO surface and in the individual (Ph₃P)₂Pt(O₂N₂) complex, a stable (O_adN-NO_ad) dimer was revealed experimentally.     

Theoretical investigations on nonlinear optical and spectroscopic properties of 6-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluoro-2-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-2,4-pyrimidinedione: An efficient NLO material

In this study, quantum chemical calculations of geometric parameters, conformational, natural bond orbital (NBO) and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, vibrational frequencies, ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the title molecule [C₉H₇F₅N₂O₃] in the ground state have been calculated with the help of Density Functional Theory (DFT-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)) and Hartree-Fock (HF/6-311++G(d,p)) methods. The optimized geometric parameters, vibrational frequencies, ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts values are compared with experimental values of the investigated molecules. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results showed that B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method is able to provide more satisfactory results. In order to understand this phenomenon in the context of molecular orbital picture, we examined the molecular frontier orbital energies (HOMO, HOMO-1, LUMO, and LUMO + 1), the energy difference (ΔE) between E _HOMO and E _LUMO, electronegativity (χ), hardness (η), softness (S) calculated by HF/6-311++G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) levels. The molecular surfaces, Mulliken, NBO, and Atomic polar tensor (APT) charges of the investigated molecule have also been calculated by using the same methods.     

Blackbody infrared radiative dissociation of oligonucleotide anions

The dissociation kinetics of a series of doubly deprotonated oligonucleotide 7-mers [d(A) ₇ ^2? , d(AATTAAT)^2?, d(TTAATTA)^2?, and d(CCGGCCG)^2?] were measured using blackbody infrared radiative dissociation in a Fourier-transform mass spectrometer. The oligonucleotides dissociate first by cleavage at the glycosidic bond leading to the loss of a neutral nucleobase, followed by cleavage at the adjacent (5′) phosphodiester bond to produce structurally informative a-base and w type ions. From the temperature dependence of the unimolecular dissociation rate constants, Arrhenius activation parameters in the zero-pressure limit are obtained for the loss of base. The measured Arrhenius parameters are dependent on the identity of the nucleobase. The process involving the loss of an adenine base from the dianions, d(A) ₇ ^2? , d(AATTAAT)^2?, and d(TTAATTA)^2? has an average activation energy (E _a ) of ～1.0 eV and a preexponential factor (A) of 10¹⁰ s^?1. Both guanine and cytosine base loss occurs for d(CCGGCCG)^2?. The average Arrhenius parameters for the loss of cytosine and guanine are E _a =1.32 ± 0.03 eV and A=10^13.3±0.3 s^?1. No loss of thymine was observed for mixed adenine-thymine oligonucleotides. Neither base loss nor any other fragmentation reactions occur for d(T) ₇ ^2? over a 600 s reaction delay at 207 °C, a temperature close to the upper limit accessible with our instrument. The Arrhenius parameters indicate that the preferred cleavage sites for mixed oligonucleotides of similar mass-to-charge ratio will be strongly dependent on the internal energy of the precursor ions. At low internal energies (effective temperatures below 475 K), loss of adenine and subsequent cleavage of the adjacent phosphoester bonds will dominate, whereas at higher energies, preferential cleavage at C and G residues will occur. The magnitude of the A factors ≤10¹³ s^?1 measured for the loss of the three nucleobases (A, G, and C) is indicative of an entropically neutral or disfavored process as the rate limiting step for this reaction.     

A theoretical study on the strength of multiple metal-metal bonds in binuclear complexes and transition-metal dimers by a non-local density functional method

The strength of multiple metal-metal bonds in the metal dimers M₂ (M = Cr, Mo or W) and binuclear complexes M₂(OH)₆ (M = Cr, Mo or W), M₂Cl₄(PH₃)₄ M = V, Cr, Mn, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ta, W or Re) has been studied by a non-local density functional theory. The method employed here provides metal-metal bond energies [D(M-M)] in good accord with experiments for Cr₂ and Mo₂, and predicts that W₂ of the three dimers M₂ (M = Cr, Mo or W) has the strongest metal-metal bond with D(W-W) = 426 kJ mol⁻¹ and R(W-W) = 2.03 Å. Among the binuclear complexes studied here we find the 3d elements to form relatively weak metal-metal bonds (40–100 kJ mol⁻¹), compared to the 4d and 5d elements with bonding energies ranging from 250 to 450 kJ mol⁻¹. The metal-metal bond for a homologous series is calculated to be up to 100 kJ mol⁻¹ stronger for the 5d complex, than for the 4d complex. An energy decomposition of D(M-M) revealed that the σ-bond is somewhat stronger than each of the π-bonds, and one order of magnitude stronger than the δ-bond. For the same transition metal we find D(M-M) to be larger for M₂(PH₃)₄Cl₄ (M = Cr, Mo or W) than for M₂(OH)₆ (M = Cr, Mo or W), and attribute this to a stronger π-interaction in the former series. While many of the findings here are in agreement with previous HFS studies, the order of stability D(3d-3d) « D(4d-4d) < D(5d-5d) differs from the order D(3d-3d) « D(5d-5d) < D(4d-4d) obtained by the HFS method, and the present method provides in general more modest values for D(M-M) than the HFS scheme.     

Numerical integration of Euler's integral and numerical relationships involving E and T

Numerical integration has been carried out for p(x) = ?^∞_xx^?2e^?xdx where x = E/RT with E = 20, 25, …, 100 kcal mole^?1 and T = 300, 350, …, 1000 K. Using the values of -log p(x), numerical equations have been obtained that enable calculations of -log p(x) at other values of E and T.     

Reverse pulse voltammetry in ec2 reactions: Electrochemistry of 1-alkyl-4-t-butylpyridinium ions

The applications of the reverse pulse method are extended in order to distinguish between different paths of electrodimerization. The method for determination of rate constants of the chemical reaction coupled with charge transfer (ec₂) is further developed. Measurements of K′_d vs. t_p provide valuable information for the determination of rate constants.The reverse pulse method is applied in the study of the electrodimerization of 1-alkyl-4-t-butylpyridinium ions (1-alkyl=?CH₃; ?CH₂CH₃; ?CH(CH ₃)₂) in acetonitrile. It is found that the electrodimerization mechanism is consistent with the sequence: Py⁺ + e = Py ? $\text{1}\text{2}$ Py₂. The formal potential E^o′ is measured directly for 1-CH(CH₃)₂, and indirectly for the other pyridium ions. All values are identical within experimental error (E^o′ = ?1.835 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺).The values of k_d and k_m are measured. With an increase in the size of the l-alkyl group, k_d decreases and k_m increases. This is consistent with the expected “stabilization” of the radicals due to the increase of the l-alkyl group size which hinders the dimerization site (2- and 6-positions).     

Excess molar quantities of (a halogenated n-alkane + an n-alkane) A comparative study of mixtures containing either 1-chlorobutane or 1,4-dichlorobutane

Excess molar volumes V_m^E at 298.15 K were obtained, as a function of mole fraction x, for series I: {x1-C₄H₉Cl + (1 ? x)n-C_lH_{2l + 2}}, and II: {x1,4-C₄H₈Cl₂ + (1 ? x)n-C_lH_{2l + 2}}, for l = 7, 10, and 14. 10, and 14. The instrument used was a vibrating-tube densimeter. For the same mixtures at the same temperature, a Picker flow calorimeter was used to measure excess molar heat capacities C_{p, m}^E at constant pressure. V_m^E is positive for all mixtures in series I: at x = 0.5, V_m^E/(cm³ · mol^?1) is 0.277 for l = 7, 0.388 for l = 10, and 0.411 for l = 14. For series II, V_m^E of {x1,4-C₄H₈Cl₂ + (1 ? x)n-C₇H₁₆} is small and S-shaped, the maximum being situated at x_max = 0.178 with V_m^E(x_max)/(cm³ · mvl^?1) = 0.095, and the minimum is at x_min = 0.772 with V_m^E(x_min)/(cm³ · mol^?1) = ?0.087. The excess volumes of the other mixtures are all positive and fairly large: at x = 0.5, V_m^E/(cm³ · mol^?1) is 0.458 for l = 10, and 0.771 for l = 14. The C_{p, m}^Es of series I are all negative and |C_{p, m}^E| increases with increasing l: at x = 0.5, C_{p, m}^E/(J · K^?1 · mol^?1) is ?0.56 for l = 7, ?1.39 for l = 10, and ?3.12 for l = 14. Two minima are observed for C_{p, m}^E of {x1,4-C₄H₈Cl₂ + (1 ? x)n-C₇H₁₆}. The more prominent minimum is situated at x′_min = 0.184 with C_{p, m}^E(x′_min)/(J · K^?1 · mol^?1) = ?0.62, and the less prominent at x″_min = 0.703 with C_{p, m}^E(x″_min)/(J · K^?1 · mol^?1) = ?0.29. Each of the remaining two mixtures (l = 10 and 14) has a pronounced minimum at low mole fraction (x_min = 0.222 and 0.312, respectively) and a broad shoulder around x = 0.7.     

Quantum chemical calculations of intracell potential profile in superionic transition range in LaF3

The results of quantum chemical calculations of the potential profile in the LaF₃ crystal lattice in the range of superionic phase transition are presented for clusters containing 24 to 1200 ions. It is found that the values of formation energy E _a of vacancy-interstitial fluoride ion defects and potential barriers E _d hindering the movement of fluoride ions and determining the efficiency of charge transport in the lattice grow monotonously from the minimum values E _a = 0.12 eV and E _d = 0.22 eV for a 24-ion cluster to the maximum E _a = 0.16 eV and E _d = 0.26 eV for clusters of 576 and 1200 ions. It is shown that the values of E _a and E _d obtained for the dielectric phase (T < T _c) are several times the values of E _a and E _d for the superionic state (T ≥ T _c) of LaF₃. The values of E _a and E _d obtained by quantum chemical calculations from clusters of 576 and 1200 ions agree well with energies E _a and E _d obtained from the analysis of the data of the Raman and quasielastic light scattering.     

Molecular and crystal structure of polycyclic nitramines

An X-ray structural investigation has been carried out for four polycyclic nitramines with an isowurtzitane structure. These compounds are high-density, high-energy materials: 4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diaza-tetracyclo(5.5.0.0^3,11.0^5,9)dodecane (4), 4,8,10,12-tetranitro-2,6-dioxa-4,8,10,12-tetrazatetracyclo (5.5.0.0^3,11.0^5,9)dodecane (5), and 4,6,10,12-tetranitro-2,8-dioxa-4,6,10,12-tetrazatetracyclo(5.5.0.0^3,11.0^5,9)-dodecane (6). Nitramine 5 crystallizes as triclinic (form α, d_calc = 1.966 g/cm³) and trigonal (form β, d_calc = 2.014 g/cm³) modifications. All amine nitrogen atoms have a nonplanar structure; the mean sum of bond angles of the six-membered cycles is 345.2°, and the corresponding mean value for the five-membered cycles is 337.6°. Other features of their intramolecular structure are also discussed.     

Insight into the photoexcitation effect on the catalytic activation of H2 and C-H bonds on TiO2(110) surface

Semiconductor photocatalysis holds great promise for breaking the inert chemical bonds under mild condition; however, the photoexcitation-induced modulation mechanism has not been well understood at the atomic level. Herein, by performing the DFT+U calculations, we quantitatively compare H₂ activation on rutile TiO₂(110) under thermo- versus photo-catalytic condition. It is found that H₂ dissociation prefers to occur via the heterolytic cleavage mode in thermocatalysis, but changes to the homolytic cleavage mode and gets evidently promoted in the presence of photoexcited hole (h⁺). The origin can be ascribed to the generation of highly oxidative lattice O-radical (O_br^??) with a localized unoccupied O-2p state. More importantly, we identify that this photo-induced promotion effect can be practicable to another kind of important chemical bond, i.e., C–H bond in light hydrocarbons including alkane, alkene and aromatics; an exception is the C(sp¹)-H in alkyne (HCCH), which encounters inhibition effect from photoexcitation. By quantitative analysis, the origins behind these results are attributed to the interplay between two factors: C-H bond energy (E_bond) and the acidity. Owing to the relatively high E_bond and acidity, it favors the C(sp¹)-H bond to proceed with the heterolytic cleavage mode in both thermo- and photo-catalysis, and the photoexcited O_br^?? is adverse to receiving the transferred proton. By contrast, for the other hydrocarbons with moderate/low E_bond, the O_br^?? would enable to change their activation mode to a more favored homolytic one and evidently decrease the C–H activation barrier. This work may provide a general picture for understanding the photocatalytic R–H (R = H, C) bond activation over the semiconductor catalyst.     

Geminal interactions in ClZ(CH3)2X molecules (Z = C, Si, Ge) according to ab initio calculations

The structure and electronic parameters of ClZ(CH₃)₂X molecules (Z = C, Si, Ge, X = CH₃, OCH₃) were calculated by the RHF/6–31G(d) and RHF/6–311G(d,p) methods with full geometry optimization; calculations of ClZ(CH₃)₂OCH₃ molecules were also performed by the RHF/6–31G(d) method with partial geometry optimization. The ³⁵Cl NQR frequencies calculated from the populations of less diffuse 3p constituents of valence p orbitals of chlorine [RHF/6–31G(d)] were in agreement with the experimental values. The ³⁵Cl NQR frequencies for molecules with X = OCH₃ are lower than those for molecules with X = CH₃ (the Z atom being the same), due mainly to direct through-field polarization of the Z-Cl bond, induced by the effect of unshared electron pair of the oxygen atom in the trans position with respect to that bond. The difference in the ³⁵Cl NQR frequencies decreases in going from Z = C to Z = Si, Ge, in parallel with variation of the Z-Cl bond polarization as the size of Z increases.     

Thermal oxidative degradation of polypropylene-containing pro-oxidants

The thermal degradation of polypropylene-containing pro-oxidants was studied by determining the oxidation induction time (OIT) and by assessing the activation energy (E _a) estimated from thermogravimetric analysis. Polypropylene (PP) was prepared with different concentrations of two pro-oxidants, polyacetal (POM) and d₂w^®. The pro-oxidants accelerated the oxidation process of oxidation of PP in the presence of oxygen; however, there is little change in the values of the OIT in compositions with different concentrations of d₂w^®. For PP/POM blends, the volatile low molecular mass compounds, primarily from POM-derived formaldehyde, accounted for the decrease in E _a with the increasing POM concentration.     

Kinetics of biodesulfurization of a high-sulfur coal

The apparent activation and deactivation energies and the corresponding frequency factors of coal desulfurization byThiobacillus ferrooxidans have been determined to be ΔE _a = 60.9 kJ,A _a = 1.45 s^-1 and ΔE_d = 178.3 kJ,A _d = 5.65×10²⁷ s^-1, respectively. The thermo-dynamic values (AG^?, ΔH ^?, and ΔS^?) of the activated complex were calculated. Kinetic parameters of the Monod equation were determined to beV _m = 55.9 mg dm^-3 h^-1 andK = 24.1% pulp density. The maximum rate of desulfurization of coal was found to beV _m = 55.7 mg dm^-3 h^-1 for the particle size. The generalized second order regression equation relating the yield of desulfurization to the leaching parameters was shown to adequately predict coal extraction data and optimum values of process variables. Tank leaching studies using optimum conditions resulted coal desulfurization about 90%. The iron hydrolysis reactions involving the formation of mono- and poly-nuclear, hydroxo- and sulfato complexes of amorphous and crystalline precipitates were discussed.     

Effect of in impurity on crystallization kinetics of (Se.7Te.3)100−xInx system

The effect of In impurity on the crystallization kinetics and the changes taking place in the structure of (Se₇Te₃) have been studied by DTA measurements at different heating rates (α=5 deg·min^?1, 10 deg·min^?1, 15 deg·min^?1 and 20 deg·min^?1). From the heating rate dependence of the values ofT _g,T _c andT _p, the glass transition activation energy (E _t) and the crystallization activation energy (E _c) have been obtained for different compositions of (Se₇Te₃)_100?xIn_x (0≤×≤20). The variation of viscosity as a function of temperature has been evaluated using Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher equation. The crystallization data are analysed using Kissinger's and Matusita's approach for nonisothermic crystallization. It has been found that for samples containing In=0, 10, 15, 20 at%, three dimensional nucleation is predominant whereas for samples containing In=5 at%, two dimensional nucleation is the dominant mechanism. The compositional dependence ofT _g and crystallization kinetics are discussed in terms of the modification of the structure of the Se?Te system.     

Solid-phase ligand substitution processes by outer-sphere anions in isomeric mixed-ligand hexamine chromium(III) complexes

The mixed-ligand complex compoundscis- andtrans-[Cr(en)₂(NH₂CH₃)₂]Br(B₁₀H₁₀) were synthetized. It was demonstrated by IR spectroscopy that the hydrogen atoms of the anions B₁₀H ₁₀ ^2? carrying the negative charge interact with the proton of the amino group in the coordinated amine, forming the bond system N-H-H-B. The complex salts obtained have high densities (d ²⁰=1.55 g/cm³ and 1.47 g/cm³ for thecis andtrans isomer, respectively) and high thermal stability 230–250 °C. At 250–270 °C both thecis and thetrans compound dissociate, with simultaneous substitution of two methylamine molecules in the coordination sphere of the chromium(III) ion by the anions Br^? and B₁₀H ₁₀ ^2? . The process is described by the topochemical equationf(α)=(1?α)^2/3 (reaction on the interface of the phases), and is characterized by high values of the kinetic parameters: E_a=510–524 kJ/mol, logA=49.9–50.2. We found that the value ofE _a for the amine substitution process in thecis compound, determined by evolved gas analysis under non-isothermal conditions, decreases by 220 kJ/mol when the heating rate is increased from 5.0 to 7.5 deg/min. This finding can be explained in that when the heating rate is increased, the intervals in which thecis- trans isomerization and ligand substitution reactions proceed come closer to one another, and finally overlap; the activation energy of the isomerization process then compensates part of the energy required for activation of the ligand substitution process.     

A simple sum rule in raman theory

It is shown that in the limit of large detuning energy and in the absence of coordinate dependence of the transition moment, the resonance Raman amplitude for a 0 → n transition on a harmonic potential surface is proportional to (δ²_? + δ²₊)^?1 × ?^∞_?∞ exp (?q²) · [?ⁿΔV(q)/?q¹¹] dq< where ΔV(q) is the difference between the arbitrary excited-state surface and the initial harmonic potential. The resonant and non-resonant detuning energies are given by δ_? = E ? hv and δ₊ = E + hv, where v is the incident laser frequency and E is the minimum separation between the potential surfaces.     

Microwave spectrum of 1,2,4-trifluorobenzene

The microwave spectrum of 1,2,4-trifluorobenzene has been observed in the range 12.5–18.0 GHz and 21.5–25.3 GHz at dry-ice temperature and assigned up to angular momentum state J = 39. The ground state rotational constants and the five quartic centrifugal distortion constants thus obtained are (in MHz): à = 3084.0037 ± 0.0108, B? = 1278.3614 ± 0.0062, C? = 903.6989 ± 0.0108, d_j = ( ?4.599 ± 0.621) · 10^?4, d_jk = (5.9757 ± 1.1586) · 10^?3, d_k = (11.4923 ± 2.0886) · 10^?3, d_wj = (4.0 ± 1.0) · 10^?7, d_wk=(?5.8± 1.1) · 10^?6.The small value of Δ = 0.029 (amu Ų) shows that the molecule is planar and an r₀ - structure using a regular hexagonal benzene ring with the bond lengths C-C = 1.397 Å, C-H = 1.084 Å and C-F = 1.312 Å, reproduces the rotational constants.     

Unprecedented Bonding Situation in Viable E2(NHBMe)2 (E=Be,Mg; NHBMe=(HCNMe)2B) Complexes: Neutral E2 Forms a Single E−E Covalent Bond

Is it possible to facilitate the formation of a genuine Be?Be or Mg?Mg single bond for the E₂ species while it is in its neutral state? So far, (NHC^R)Be?Be(NHC^R) (R=H, Me, Ph) have been reported where Be₂ is in ¹Δ_g excited state imposing a formal Be?Be bond order of two. Herein, we present the formation of a single E?E (E=Be, Mg) covalent bond in E₂(NHB^Me)₂ (E=Be, Mg; NHB^Me=(HCN^Me)₂B) complexes where E₂ is in ³∑_u⁺ excited state having (nσ_g⁺)²(nσ_u⁺)¹((n+1)σ_g⁺)¹ (n=2 for Be and n=4 for Mg) valence electron configuration and it forms electron‐shared bonding with two NHB^Me radicals. The effects of bonding with nσ_u⁺ and (n+1)σ_g⁺ orbitals will cancel each other, providing the former E?E bond order as one. Be₂(NHB^Me)₂ complex is thermochemically stable with respect to possible dissociation channels at room temperature, whereas the two exergonic channels, Mg₂(NHB^Me)₂ → Mg + Mg(NHB^Me)₂ and Mg₂(NHB^Me)₂ → Mg₂ + (NHB^Me)₂, are kinetically inhibited by a free energy barrier of 15.7 and 18.7 kcal mol^?1, respectively, which would likely to be further enhanced in cases of bulkier substituents attached to the NHB ligands. Therefore, the title complexes are first viable systems which feature a neutral E₂ moiety with a single E?E covalent bond.