Toward a physical understanding of electron-sharing two-center bonds. I. General aspects

In 1916, Lewis and Kossel laid the empirical ground for the electronic theory of valence, whose quantum theoretical foundation was uncovered only slowly. We can now base the classification of the various traditional chemical bond types in a threefold manner on the one- and two-electron terms of the quantum-physical Hamiltonian (kinetic, atomic core attraction, electron repulsion). Bond formation is explained by splitting up the real process into two physical steps: (i) interaction of undeformed atoms and (ii) relaxation of this nonstationary system. We aim at a flexible bond energy partitioning scheme that can avoid cancellation of large terms of opposite sign. The driving force of covalent bonding is a lowering of the quantum kinetic energy density by sharing. The driving force of heteropolar bonding is a lowering of potential energy density by charge rearrangement in the valence shell. Although both mechanisms are quantum mechanical in nature, we can easily visualize them, since they are of one-electron type. They are however tempered by two-electron correlations. The richness of chemistry, owing to the diversity of atomic cores and valence shells, becomes intuitively understandable with the help of effective core pseudopotentials for the valence shells. Common conceptual difficulties in understanding chemical bonds arise from quantum kinematic aspects as well as from paradoxical though classical relaxation phenomena. On this conceptual basis, a dozen different bond types in diatomic molecules will be analyzed in the following article. We can therefore examine common features as well as specific differences of various bonding mechanisms.     

On Electrostatics,Covalency, and Chemical Dashes: Physical Interactions versus Chemical Bonds

The increasing availability of real-space interaction energies between quantum atoms or fragments that provide a chemically intuitive decomposition of intrinsic bond energies into electrostatic and covalent terms [see, for instance, Chem. Eur. J. 2018 , 24, 9101] provides evidence for differences between the physicist's concept of interaction and the chemist's concept of a bond. Herein, it is argued that, for the former, all types of interactions are treated equally, whereas, for the latter, only the covalent short-range interactions have actually been used to build intuition about chemical graphs and chemical bonds. This has led to the bonding role of long-range Coulombic terms in molecular chemistry being overlooked. Simultaneously, blind consideration of electrostatic terms in chemical bonding parlance may lead to confusion. The relationship between these concepts is examined herein, and some notes of caution on how to merge them are proposed.     

Density functional theory and QT atoms-in-molecules study on the hydration of CuI and AgI ions and sulfides

The hydrates of Cu+, Ag+, CuS-, AgS-, Cu2S, and Ag2S were investigated with density functional theory (DFT), solvent field, and atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) calculations. We found that covalent bonding of the first-shell water molecules to the metals plays a significant role in the total solvation energy. Molecular graphs were obtained and the bonding characterized by analysis of the electron density and its laplacian at bond critical points. Long-range electrostatic interactions between solute and the bulk solvent, quantified by solvent-field calculations, are more important for hydrated anions CuS- and AgS- than for Cu+ and Ag+ as well as for the neutral species Cu2S and Ag2S. Computed enthalpies of formation for hydrated Cu+ and Ag+ correlated well with experimentally determined values and allowed us to characterize the structures of several hydrates studied in the gas phase. We found that the stability of the hydrates is leveled in the water solvent field. The reactions of dissociation and substitution of metal sulfides in the gas phase and in solution were compared. A decrease in the of energy of the reactions in going from the gas phase to solution is explained on the basis of the higher coordination of metal atoms in the first hydration shell.     

An Excursion from Normal to Inverted C?C Bonds Shows a Clear Demarcation between Covalent and Charge‐Shift C?C Bonds

What is the nature of the C? C bond? Valence bond and electron density computations of 16 C? C bonds show two families of bonds that flesh out as a phase diagram. One family, involving ethane, cyclopropane and so forth, is typified by covalent C? C bonding wherein covalent spin‐pairing accounts for most of the bond energy. The second family includes the inverted bridgehead bonds of small propellanes, where the bond is neither covalent nor ionic, but owes its existence to the resonance stabilization between the respective structures; hence a charge‐shift (CS) bond. The dual family also emerges from calculated and experimental electron density properties. Covalent C? C bonds are characterized by negative Laplacians of the density, whereas CS‐bonds display small or positive Laplacians. The positive Laplacian defines a region suffering from neighbouring repulsive interactions, which is precisely the case in the inverted bonding region. Such regions are rich in kinetic energy, and indeed the energy‐density analysis reveals that CS‐bonds are richer in kinetic energy than the covalent C? C bonds. The large covalent–ionic resonance energy is precisely the mechanism that lowers the kinetic energy in the bonding region and restores equilibrium bonding. Thus, different degrees of repulsive strain create two bonding families of the same chemical bond made from a single atomic constituent. It is further shown that the idea of repulsive strain is portable and can predict the properties of propellanes of various sizes and different wing substituents. Experimentally (M. Messerschmidt, S. Scheins, L. Bruberth, M. Patzel, G. Szeimies, C. Paulman, P. Luger, Angew. Chem. 2005 , 117, 3993–3997; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005 , 44, 3925–3928), the C? C bond families are beautifully represented in [1.1.1]propellane, where the inverted C? C is a CS‐bond, while the wings are made from covalent C? C bonds. What other manifestations can we expect from CS‐bonds? Answers from experiment have the potential of recharting the mental map of chemical bonding.     

Extraordinary superatom containing double shell nucleus: Li(HF)3Li connected mainly by intermolecular interactions

The structure and properties of the Li(HF)₃Li cluster with C_3h symmetry are investigated using ab initio calculations. This Li(HF)₃Li is a metal–nonmetal–metal sandwich‐like cluster connected mainly by the intermolecular interactions. In the special cluster, the (HF)₃ containing the triangular F ring with the negative charges is sandwiched between two Li atom. It is interesting that under the action of the triangular F ring with the negative charges, the valence electrons of two Li atoms are pushed out to form the distended excess electron cloud that surrounds the Li(HF)₃Li as a core. So the Li(HF)₃Li cluster shows not only the electride characteristic, but new superatom characteristics as well. Several characteristics of the special superatom are found. First, the superatom contains the double shell nucleus. The internal nucleus is the regular triangular ring made of three F atoms with the negative charge and the outer‐shell nucleus is made up of three H and two Li atoms with the positive charge. Second, the bonding force of this superatom framework is mainly the intermolecular interaction force, the lithium bond, which is different from that (covalent bond or ionic bond) of the general superatom. Third, the interaction between the outer‐shell nucleus and the excess electron cloud is mainly the anti‐excess‐electron hydrogen bond. Fourth, the special superatom exhibits the new aromaticity (NICS = ?8.37 ppm at the center of the regular triangular F ring), which is the aromaticity found in the cluster of the intermolecular interaction. This is the new knowledge of the aromaticity. Fifth, the large polarizability of the superatom is revealed. Further, the vertical ionization energy (VIE) of the superatom is low, 4.51 eV (<5.210 eV of the alkaline–earth metal Ba) so that it may be viewed as a superalkaline–earth metal atom. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Orbital interpretation of kinetic energy density and a direct space comparison of chemical bonding in tetrahedral network solids

We present how the kinetic energy density (KED) can be interpreted on the basis of the orbital interactions within the Kohn-Sham theory and propose how to utilize a direct space function in chemical bonding analysis, the relative entropy density (RED), which is constructed from the KED, the Thomas-Fermi KED (TF-KED), and the electron density. From the detailed analysis of the KED of wave functions and the TF-KED from the free electron model, it is shown that the RED can reveal the nodal properties of individual wave functions and provide a variationally meaningful way of accumulating chemical bonding information from the wave functions, hence allowing quantitative bonding analysis in direct space. To substantiate the proposal, the RED function has been tested on the tetrahedral network solids, including the group 14 elements and the III-V binary compounds with the zinc blende structure. The direct space maps of the RED quantitatively reflect the trend in metallicity and the polarity of their two-center, two-electron bonds in terms of the absolute values of the RED, the location of the minimum values, and the behavior of the deformation from the spherical symmetry of the atomic RED.     

Chemische Bindung anschaulich: die Elektronen-Lokalisierungs-Funktion

The Electron Localization Function (ELF) describes chemical bonding through localized pairs of electrons and gives a quantum mechanical basis to the representation of the chemical bond as a line. Computer graphics produce illustrative and intuitive pictures of the shell structure of atoms, ionic, covalent, and coordinative bonds, or multiple bonds and lone pairs of electrons. Resonance formulas, delocalized bonds, and the space occupied by electron pairs can be visualized in the same manner.     

Electronegativities of elements in covalent crystals

A new electronegativity table of elements in covalent crystals with different bonding electrons and the most common coordination numbers is suggested on the basis of covalent potentials of atoms in crystals. For a given element, the electronegativity increases with increasing number of bonding electrons and decreases with increasing coordination number. Particularly, the ionicity of a covalent bond in different environments can be well-reflected by current electronegativity values; that is, the ionicity of chemical bonds increases as the coordination number of the bonded atoms increases. We show that this electronegativity scale can be successfully applied to predict the hardness of covalent and polar covalent crystals, which will be very useful for studying various chemical and physical properties of covalent materials.     

Topological analysis of the electronic charge density in the ethene protonation reaction catalyzed by acidic zeolite

In the present work, the distribution of the electronic charge density in the ethene protonation reaction by a zeolite acid site is studied within the framework of the density functional theory and the atoms in molecules (AIM) theory. The key electronic effects such as topological distribution of the charge density involved in the reaction are presented and discussed. The results are obtained at B3LYP/6-31G(**) level theory. Attention is focused on topological parameters such as electron density, its Laplacian, kinetic energy density, potential energy density, and electronic energy density at the bond critical points (BCP) in all bonds involved in the interaction zone, in the reactants, pi-complex, transition state, and alkoxy product. In addition, the topological atomic properties are determined on the selected atoms in the course of the reaction (average electron population, N(Omega), atomic net charge, q(Omega), atomic energy, E(Omega), atomic volume, v(Omega), and first moment of the atomic charge distribution, M(Omega)) and their changes are analyzed exhaustively. The topological study clearly shows that the ethene interaction with the acid site of the zeolite cluster, T5-OH, in the ethene adsorbed, is dominated by a strong O-H...pi interaction with some degree of covalence. AIM analysis based on DFT calculation for the transition state (TS) shows that the hydrogen atom from the acid site in the zeolitic fragment is connected to the carbon atom by a covalent bond with some contribution of electrostatic interaction and to the oxygen atom by closed shell interaction with some contribution of covalent character. The C-O bond formed in the alkoxy product can be defined as a weaker shared interaction. Our results show that in the transition state, the dominant interactions are partially electrostatic and partially covalent in nature, in which the covalent contribution increases as the concentration and accumulation of the charge density along the bond path between the nuclei linked increases.     

Crystal packing of TCNQ anion pi-radicals governed by intermolecular covalent pi-pi bonding: DFT calculations and statistical analysis of crystal structures

On the basis of a thorough Cambridge Structural Database survey, we present a statistical analysis of the packing of TCNQ anion pi-radicals in TCNQ charge transfer salts, which reveals three packing motifs between neighboring TCNQs: one with a zero longitudinal offset and an approximate 1 A transversal offset, another with an approximate 2 A longitudinal offset and zero transversal offset, and the third with a relatively long sigma-bond in the length of r = 1.6-1.7 A connecting two TCNQ fragments. Along with the statistical analysis of the crystal structures, we also present density functional theory calculations of the total energy, covalent pi-pi bonding interaction energy, and Coulombic repulsion energy for the [TCNQ](2)(2-)pi-dimers with various packing geometries. We find that the interactions between TCNQ anion pi-radicals include contributions from intermolecular covalent pi-pi bonding interaction and local dipole repulsions, in addition to Coulombic repulsion, van der Waals and the attractive electrostatic forces between counter-cations and TCNQ anions pointed out recently by other groups for TCNE anion radicals. We describe an approximate formula for intermolecular interaction energy, E(int) = E(coul) + E(bond) + E(vdW), for systems in vacuum, while in the solid state E(coul) is compensated by the attractive electrostatic forces between counter-cations and TCNQ anions. We conclude that the crystal packing of TCNQ molecules in their charge transfer salts is predominantly determined by the intermolecular covalent pi-pi bonding term, E(bond).     

The role of quantum-mechanical interference and quasi-classical effects in conjugated hydrocarbons

The nature of the chemical bond in conjugated hydrocarbons is analyzed through the generalized product function energy partitioning (GPF-EP) method, which allows the calculation of the quantum-mechanical interference and quasi-classical contributions to the energy. The method is applied to investigate the differences between the chemical bonding in conjugated and non-conjugated hydrocarbon isomers and to evaluate the contribution from the energy components to the stabilization of the molecules. It is shown that in all cases quantum-mechanical interference has the effect of concentrating π electron density between the two carbon atoms directly involved in the (C-C)π bonds. For the conjugated isomers, this effect is accompanied by a substantial reduction of electron density in the π space of the neighbouring (C-C)σ bond. On the other hand, quasi-classical effects are shown to be responsible for the extra stabilization of the conjugated isomers, in which a decrease of the π space kinetic reference energy seems to play an important role. Finally, it is shown that the polarization of p-like orbitals in compounds with alternating single and double bonds ultimately increases electron density in the π space of the neighbouring (C-C)σ bond. Therefore, quasi-classical effects, rather than covalent ones, seem to be responsible for several properties of conjugated molecules, such as thermodynamic stability, planarity and (C-C)σ bond shortening. The shortcomings of the delocalization concept are discussed.     

Charge-shift bonding--a class of electron-pair bonds that emerges from valence bond theory and is supported by the electron localization function approach

This paper deals with a central paradigm of chemistry, the electron-pair bond. Valence bond (VB) theory and electron-localization function (ELF) calculations of 21 single bonds demonstrate that along the two classical bond families of covalent and ionic bonds, there exists a class of charge-shift bonds (CS bonds) in which the fluctuation of the electron pair density plays a dominant role. In VB theory, CS bonding manifests by way of a large covalent-ionic resonance energy, RE(CS), and in ELF by a depleted basin population with large variances (fluctuations). CS bonding is shown to be a fundamental mechanism that is necessary to satisfy the equilibrium condition, namely the virial ratio of the kinetic and potential energy contributions to the bond energy. The paper defines the atomic propensity and territory for CS bonding: Atoms (fragments) that are prone to CS bonding are compact electronegative and/or lone-pair-rich species. As such, the territory of CS bonding transcends considerations of static charge distribution, and involves: a) homopolar bonds of heteroatoms with zero static ionicity, b) heteropolar sigma and pi bonds of the electronegative and/or electron-pair-rich elements among themselves and to other atoms (e.g., the higher metalloids, Si, Ge, Sn, etc), c) all hypercoordinate molecules. Several experimental manifestations of charge-shift bonding are discussed, such as depleted bonding density, the rarity of ionic chemistry of silicon in condensed phases, and the high barriers of halogen-transfer reactions as compared to hydrogen-transfers.     

Ab initio investigation of the complexes between bromobenzene and several electron donors: some insights into the magnitude and nature of halogen bonding interactions

Halogen bonding, a specific intermolecular noncovalent interaction, plays crucial roles in fields as diverse as molecular recognition, crystal engineering, and biological systems. This paper presents an ab initio investigation of a series of dimeric complexes formed between bromobenzene and several electron donors. Such small model systems are selected to mimic halogen bonding interactions found within crystal structures as well as within biological molecules. In all cases, the intermolecular distances are shown to be equal to or below sums of van der Waals radii of the atoms involved. Halogen bonding energies, calculated at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level, span over a wide range, from -1.52 to -15.53 kcal/mol. The interactions become comparable to, or even prevail over, classical hydrogen bonding. For charge-assisted halogen bonds, calculations have shown that the strength decreases in the order OH- > F- > HCO2- > Cl- > Br-, while for neutral systems, their relative strengths attenuate in the order H2CS > H2CO > NH3 > H2S > H2O. These results agree with those of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) since bond critical points (BCPs) are identified for these halogen bonds. The QTAIM analysis also suggests that strong halogen bonds are more covalent in nature, while weak ones are mostly electrostatic interactions. The electron densities at the BCPs are recommended as a good measure of the halogen bond strength. Finally, natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis has been applied to gain more insights into the origin of halogen bonding interactions.     

Hetero-Polar Sextuple Bond: A Relativistic Quantum Chemical Study**

Number of bonds formed by sharing an electron pair between two atoms is not restricted to one, it can go beyond four and six is the maximum. While homopolar sextuple bond in Mo₂ and W₂ has been reported, such a high bond order in heteropolar diatomics has remained elusive. In the pursuit of the sextuple bond in polar diatomics, the present study depicts the existence of such multiple bonds in Rhodium-Scandium hetero-diatom based on relativistic quantum chemical calculations. The bonding comprises of three normal electron sharing covalent bonds and three dative covalent bonds.     

Influence of the Electron Transfer Rate on Electrochemically Controlled Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonding is an essential interaction in natural and artificial systems. Its strength can be modulated by employing process known as Electrochemically Controlled Hydrogen bonding (ECHB). Although these processes are assumed to operate under thermodynamic control no experimental evidence for kinetic control exists. In this work, ECHB processes where studied using electrogenerated radical anions from 5-nitroimidazole derivatives as receptor molecules and 1,3-diethylurea as hydrogen bond donor species. Results revealed that kinetic control occurs due to an increase in the internal reorganization energy of the receptor molecule, which cause a decrease in electron transfer rate. Electronic structure calculations and experimental K_b values suggested that kinetic limitations were the product of a competition between intra and intermolecular hydrogen bonding formation during the global process.     

A definition for the covalent and ionic bond index in a molecule

Formulae for hermitian operators representing covalent, ionic, and total bond indices are derived. The eigenstates of these operators come in pairs, and can be considered as bonding, anti-bonding and lone-pair orbitals. The form of these operators is derived by generalising the rule that the bond order be defined as the net number of bonding electron pairs. The percentage of covalency and ionicity of a chemical bond may be obtained, and bond indices can also be defined between groups of atoms. The calculation of the bond indices depends only on the electron density operator, and certain projection operators used to represent each atom in the molecule. Bond indices are presented for a series of first and second row hydrides and fluorides, hydrocarbons, a metal complex, a Diels–Alder reaction and a dissociative reaction. In general the agreement between the bond indices is in accord with chemical intuition. The bond indices are shown to be stable to basis set expansion.     

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Electron Density Study of Intra‐ and Intermolecular Interactions in Thiourea S,S‐Dioxide

The thiourea S,S‐dioxide molecule is recognized as a zwitterion with a high dipole moment and an unusually long C? S bond. The molecule has a most interesting set of intermolecular interactions in the crystalline state—a relatively strong O???H? N hydrogen bond and very weak intermolecular C???S and N???O interactions. The molecule has C_s symmetry, and each oxygen atom is hydrogen‐bonded to two hydrogen atoms with O???H? N distances of 2.837 and 2.826 Å and angles of 176.61 and 158.38°. The electron density distribution is obtained both from Xray diffraction data at 110 K and from a periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Bond characterization is made in terms of the analysis of topological properties. The covalent characters of the C? N, N? H, C? S, and S? O bonds are apparent, and the agreement on the topological properties between experiment and theory is adequate. The features of the Laplacian distributions, bond paths, and atomic domains are comparable. In a systematic approach, DFT calculations are performed based on a monomer, a dimer, a heptamer, and a crystal to see the effect on the electron density distribution due to the intermolecular interactions. The dipole moment of the molecule is enhanced in the solid state. The typical values of ρ_b and H_b of the hydrogen bonds and weak intermolecular C???S and N???O interactions are given. All the interactions are verified by the location of the bond critical point and its associated topological properties. The isovalue surface of Laplacian charge density and the detailed atomic graph around each atomic site reveal the shape of the valence‐shell charge concentration and provide a reasonable interpretation of the bonding of each atom.     

Isomerization dynamics and thermodynamics of ionic argon clusters

The dynamics and thermodynamics of small Ar(n) (+) clusters, n=3, 6, and 9, are investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) and exchange Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. A diatomic-in-molecule Hamiltonian provides an accurate model for the electronic ground state potential energy surface. The microcanonical caloric curves calculated from MD and MC methods are shown to agree with each other, provided that the rigorous conservation of angular momentum is accounted for in the phase space density of the MC simulations. The previously proposed projective partition of the kinetic energy is used to assist MD simulations in interpreting the cluster dynamics in terms of inertial, internal, and external modes. The thermal behavior is correlated with the nature of the charged core in the cluster by computing a dedicated charge localization order parameter. We also perform systematic quenches to establish a connection with the various isomers. We find that the Ar(3) (+) cluster is very stable in its linear ground state geometry up to about 300 K, and then isomerizes to a T-shaped isomer in which a quasineutral atom lies around a charged dimer. In Ar(6) (+) and Ar(9) (+), the covalent trimer core is solvated by neutral atoms, and the weakly bound solvent shell melts at much lower energies, occasionally leading to a tetramer or pentamer core with weakly charged extremities. At high energies the core itself becomes metastable and the cluster transforms into Ar(2) (+) solvated by a fluid of neutral argon atoms.     

The Physical Mechanism of the Chemical Bond

First the interplay of kinetic and potential energy via the uncertainty relation is described with the aid of a variational function for the ground state of the H atom. The H ion is used to illustrate the physical mechanism of the occurrence of the chemical bond. The formation of the chemical bond can be divided into three steps: 1. the quasi-classical (electrostatic) interaction of the unchanged electronic charges of the separate atoms; 2. the interference of the atomic orbitals, which (in the case of positive interference) leads to a displacement of charge into the bonding region and to a decrease in the kinetic energy; 3. deformation of the molecular orbitals to restore the correct balance of kinetic and potential energy. In simple models, it is often sufficient to consider just the second step. A two-electron bond is not fundamentally different from a one-electron bond. In larger molecules it is possible to distinguish between long-range and short-range interatomic contributions to the chemical bond. If the former are small, i. e. in molecules with non-polar bonds, a one-electron molecular orbital theory can be justified. Finally, the possibility of describing molecules by localized bonds is discussed.