Structure of 1-(arylselanyl)naphthalenes. 2. G dependence in 8-G-1-(p-YC(6)H(4)Se)C(10)H(6).

The structures of 8-G-1-(p-YC(6)H(4)Se)C(10)H(6) (1 (G = Cl) and 2 (G = Br): Y = H (a), OMe (b), Me (c), Cl (d), Br (e), COOEt (f), and NO(2) (g)) were investigated by X-ray crystallographic analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and ab initio MO calculations. The structures of all members in 1 and 2 are concluded to be type B, which is in striking contrast to the type A structure for 4d-g (4 (g(n)), where G = H). The Se-C(i) bond of the p-YC(6)H(4)Se group in 8-G-1-(p-YC(6)H(4)Se)C(10)H(6) is almost perpendicular to the naphthyl plane in type A, and it is located on the plane in type B. The chlorine and bromine substitution at the 8-position in 1 and 2 dramatically changes the type A structure of 4 (g(n)) to type B. The nonbonded G- - -Se-C 3c-4e type interaction must contribute to stabilize the type B structure. The type B structure in 1 and 2 should also be more stabilized than the same structure in 4 by the 3c-4e type interaction: The structure of 4b is type B in the crystals and type B would be more stable for 4c and might be for 4a in solutions. Ab initio MO calculations are performed on 8-G-1-(p-YC(6)H(4)Se)C(10)H(6), 8-G-C(10)H(6)SeH-1, and models HG- - -SeH(2), where G = Cl, Br, and F, to clarify the reason for the dramatic change in the structures. The type B structure is optimized to be more stable than the type A for all species examined, which supports the observations. The energy differences between type B and type A are larger for the models than for the naphthalenes. While the superiority of the type B for the former is Br > Cl > F, that of the latter is Br approximately Cl >/= F. These results show that the main factor of the structural change from type A to type B is the nonbonded G- - -Se-C 3c-4e interaction. The electronic effect of halogens through the naphthalene pi-framework would also contribute to some extent, although the direct comparison of the evaluated values between the naphthalene systems and the models is not so easy. Factors to stabilize the two structures of 1, 2, 4, and 8-(MeSe)-1-(p-YC(6)H(4)Se)C(10)H(6) are reexamined from a viewpoint of the nonbonded G- - -Se-C 3c-4e interaction (G dependence), together with the electronic effect of Y (Y dependence).