Theoretical investigation of the symmetric trisubstituted borazines

The bonding in borazine and four symmetric tri-substituted derivatives, B-trifluoroborazine, N-trifluoroborazine, B-trimethylborazine and N-trimethylborazine, is discussed by means of all electron ab initio SCFMO calculations. B-trifluoroborazine is predicted to be 12·9 eV more stable than the N-trifluoro derivative and B-trimethylborazine 2·8 eV more stable than the N-trimethyl derivative. The calculated wavefunctions are used to interpret the low energy photoelectron spectra of these molecules. The calculated sequence for the three highest filled orbitals is πσπ in all derivatives except B-trifluoroborazine, where the sequence ππσ is realised.