Structure, bonding and energetics of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) stabilized low oxidation state group 2 (Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) metal complexes: A theoretical study

Abstract

A series of N-heterocyclic carbene stabilized low oxidation state group 2 metal halide and hydrides with metal-metal bonds ([L(X) M-M(X) L]; L = NHC ((CHNH)2C:), M = Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, and X = Cl or H) has been studied by computational methods. The main objective of this study is to predict whether it is possible to stabilize neutral ligated low oxidation state alkaline-earth metal complexes with metal-metal bonds. The homolytic metal-metal Bond Dissociation Energy (BDE) calculation, Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) and Energy Decomposition Analyses (EDA) on density functional theory (DFT) optimized [L(X)M-M(X)L] complexes revealed that they are as stable as their β-diketiminate, guanidinate and α-diimine counterparts. The optimized structures of the complexes are in trans-linear geometries. The bond order analyses such as Wiberg Bond Indices (WBI) and Fuzzi Bond Order (FBO) confirm the existence of single bond between two metal atoms, and it is covalent in nature.