Weak interactions in furan dimers

Dimers of furan, 2,3-dihydrofuran, 2,5-dihydrofuran and tetrahydrofuran were investigated with the use of theoretical methods to determine the interactions that keep the molecules together. The QTAIM and NCI methods confirmed that for furan dimers the C–H?O hydrogen bond and stacking interactions can form the dimers with similar energy. For 2,3-dihydrofuran, 2,5-dihydrofuran and tetrahydrofuran, the decisive mechanism of dimer formation is the stacking interaction between the furan rings.