Cooperativity effects between σ-hole interactions: a theoretical evidence for mutual influence between chalcogen bond and halogen bond interactions in F₂S···NCX···NCY complexes (X = F, Cl, Br, I; Y = H, F, OH)

Abstract

Quantum chemical calculations are performed to study the cooperativity effects between chalcogen bond and halogen bond interactions in F₂S···NCX···NCY complexes, where X = F, Cl, Br, I and Y = H, F, OH. These effects are investigated in terms of geometric and energetic features of the complexes, which are computed by second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). For each F₂S···NCX···NCY complex studied, the effect of cooperativity on the chalcogen bond is dependent on the strength of halogen bond. The results indicate that the interaction energies of chalcogen and halogen bonds in the triads are more negative relative to the respective dyads. The interaction energy of chalcogen bond is increased by 31%–49%, whereas that of halogen bond by 28%–62%. The energy decomposition analysis reveals that electrostatic force plays a main role in the cooperativity effects between the chalcogen bond and halogen bond interactions. The topological analysis, based on the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, is used to characterise the interactions and analyse their enhancement with varying electron density at bond critical points.

Keywords:

• chalcogen bond
• halogen bond
• cooperativity
• MP2
• electrostatic potentials