Relative Stabilities and Molecular Structures of Isomeric Dihalobenzenes. A DFT Study

The molecular structures, total energies, and other computational data of benzene, and its monoand dihalogenated derivatives (halogen = F, Cl, Br) have been studied by DFT calculations. The main aim of the study was to estimate the relative stabilities (energies) of the ortho, meta, and para isomers of the six series of dihalobenzenes investigated. The computational data show that the ortho isomers always have the highest, and the meta isomers usually, but not always, the lowest total energies. Thus, 1,2-difluorobenzene is ca. 16.6 kJ mol^–1, and 1,4-difluorobenzene 2.5 kJ mol^–1 less stable than 1,3-difluorobenzene. Among the other isomeric dihalobenzenes, the differences in stability are less pronounced. For the dibromo-, dichloro-, and bromochlorobenzenes, the para compounds are calculated to be slightly (0.2–0.4 kJ mol^–1) more stable than their meta isomers. In addition to the thermochemical aspect of the study, the computational molecular structures of the halobenzenes are compared with available experimental data and discussed in terms of the substituent-induced deformation of the ideal geometry of the benzene ring. The computational electric dipole moments, especially for the fluorine-containing compounds, compare favorably with the respective experimental (gas-phase) values.