Benzene Dimer Research Articles

Unraveling the internal dynamics of the benzene dimer: a combined theoretical and microwave spectroscopy study

We report a combined theoretical and microwave spectroscopy study of the internal dynamics of the benzene dimer, a benchmark system for dispersion forces. Although the extensive ab initio calculations and experimental work on the equilibrium geometry of this dimer have converged to a tilted T-shaped structure, the rich internal dynamics due to low barriers for internal rotation have remained largely unexplored. We present new microwave spectroscopy data for both the normal (C6H6)2 and partially deuterated (C6D6)(C6H6) dimers. The splitting patterns obtained for both species are unraveled and understood using a reduced-dimensionality theoretical approach. The hindered sixfold rotation of the stem can explain the observed characteristic 1 : 2 : 1 tunneling splitting pattern, but only the concerted stem rotation and tilt tunneling motion, accompanied by overall rotation of the dimer, yield the correct magnitude of the splittings and their strong dependence on the dimer angular momentum J that is essential to explain the experimental data. Also the surprising observation that the splittings are reduced by 30% for the mixed (C6D6)(C)(C6H6)(S) dimer in which only the cap (C) in the T-shaped structure is deuterated, while the rotating stem (S) monomer is the same as in the homodimer, is understood using this approach. Stark shift measurements allowed us to determine the dipole moment of the benzene dimer, μ = 0.58 ± 0.051 D. The assumption that this dipole moment is the vector sum of the dipole moments induced in the monomers by the electric field of the quadrupole on the other monomer yields a calculated value of μ = 0.63 D. Furthermore, the observed Stark behavior is typical for a symmetric top, another confirmation of our analysis.

Highly Stable Nanoporous Sulfur‐Bridged Covalent Organic Polymers for Carbon Dioxide Removal

AbstractCarbon dioxide capture and separation requires robust solids that can stand harsh environments where a hot mixture of gases is often found. Herein, the first and comprehensive syntheses of porous sulfur‐bridged covalent organic polymers (COPs) and their application for carbon dioxide capture in warm conditions and a wide range of pressures (0–200 bar) are reported. These COPs can store up to 3294 mg g−1 of carbon dioxide at 318 K and 200 bar while being highly stable against heating up to 400 °C. The carbon dioxide capacity of the COPs is also not hindered upon boiling in water for at least one week. Physisorptive binding is prevalent with isosteric heat of adsorptions around 24 kJ mol−1. M06–2X and RIMP2 calculations yield the same relative trend of binding energies, where, interestingly, the dimer of triazine and benzene play a cooperative role for a stronger binding of CO2 (19.2 kJ mol−1) as compared to a separate binding with triazine (13.3 kJ mol−1) or benzene (11.8 kJ mol−1).

The Cation−π Interaction

The chemistry community now recognizes the cation-π interaction as a major force for molecular recognition, joining the hydrophobic effect, the hydrogen bond, and the ion pair in determining macromolecular structure and drug-receptor interactions. This Account provides the author's perspective on the intellectual origins and fundamental nature of the cation-π interaction. Early studies on cyclophanes established that water-soluble, cationic molecules would forego aqueous solvation to enter a hydrophobic cavity if that cavity was lined with π systems. Important gas phase studies established the fundamental nature of the cation-π interaction. The strength of the cation-π interaction (Li(+) binds to benzene with 38 kcal/mol of binding energy; NH4(+) with 19 kcal/mol) distinguishes it from the weaker polar-π interactions observed in the benzene dimer or water-benzene complexes. In addition to the substantial intrinsic strength of the cation-π interaction in gas phase studies, the cation-π interaction remains energetically significant in aqueous media and under biological conditions. Many studies have shown that cation-π interactions can enhance binding energies by 2-5 kcal/mol, making them competitive with hydrogen bonds and ion pairs in drug-receptor and protein-protein interactions. As with other noncovalent interactions involving aromatic systems, the cation-π interaction includes a substantial electrostatic component. The six (four) C(δ-)-H(δ+) bond dipoles of a molecule like benzene (ethylene) combine to produce a region of negative electrostatic potential on the face of the π system. Simple electrostatics facilitate a natural attraction of cations to the surface. The trend for (gas phase) binding energies is Li(+) > Na(+) > K(+) > Rb(+): as the ion gets larger the charge is dispersed over a larger sphere and binding interactions weaken, a classical electrostatic effect. On other hand, polarizability does not define these interactions. Cyclohexane is more polarizable than benzene but a decidedly poorer cation binder. Many studies have documented cation-π interactions in protein structures, where lysine or arginine side chains interact with phenylalanine, tyrosine, or tryptophan. In addition, countless studies have established the importance of the cation-π interaction in a range of biological processes. Our work has focused on molecular neurobiology, and we have shown that neurotransmitters generally use a cation-π interaction to bind to their receptors. We have also shown that many drug-receptor interactions involve cation-π interactions. A cation-π interaction plays a critical role in the binding of nicotine to ACh receptors in the brain, an especially significant case. Other researchers have established important cation-π interactions in the recognition of the "histone code," in terpene biosynthesis, in chemical catalysis, and in many other systems.

A computational analysis of non-covalent interactions between aromatic compounds

A computational study was conducted to determine the most stable configuration geometry, and to evaluate the stabilization energy in the interaction between different test aromatic compounds. Dimers of benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, and, one trimer comprised of two benzene molecules and one molecule of naphthalene, were the subjects of the study. Gaussian 09 quantum chemistry suite ab initio calculations were performed by using MP2 method and the basis set G-311G**. The exponent for the polarized d orbital of carbon α dC was given the value 0.8200. Such value was obtained from the benzene dimer optimization with very similar results as those reported from the CCSDT method. This methodology was implemented for evaluating the stabilization energy trend with increasing number of aromatic rings in the interacting molecules. Among all the cases studied the energy minimum was obtained for the one having the conformation of displaced parallel molecules. This result seems to indicate that it is also possibly to obtain such stable conformation in the case of more complex aromatic systems of the same sort as the one considered here.

Towards a Spectroscopic and Theoretical Identification of the Isolated Building Blocks of the Benzene–Acetylene Cocrystal

Isomer- and mass-selective UV and IR-UV double resonance spectra of the BA3, B2A, and B2A2 clusters of benzene (B) and acetylene (A) are presented. Cluster structures are assigned by comparison with the UV and IR spectra of benzene, the benzene dimer, as well as the BA, BA2, and B2A clusters. The intermolecular vibrations of BA are identified by dispersed fluorescence spectroscopy. Assignment of the cluster structures is supported by quantum chemical calculations of IR spectra with spin-component scaled second-order Møller-Plesset (SCS-MP2) theory. Initial propositions for various structures of the BA3 and B2A2 aggregates are generated with model potentials based on density functional theory combined with the symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (DFT-SAPT) approach. Shape and relative cluster stabilities are then confirmed with SCS-MP2. T-shaped geometries are the dominant structural motifs. Higher-energy isomers are also observed. The detected cluster structures are correlated with possible cluster formation pathways and their role as crystallization seeds is discussed.

Ab Initio Molecular Orbital Study on the Excited States of [2.2]-, [3.3]-, and Siloxane-Bridged Paracyclophanes

Paracyclophanes are simple idealized model molecules for the study of interacting π-stacking systems. In this study, the excited states of [2.2]paracyclophane ([2.2]PCP), [3.3]paracyclophane ([3.3]PCP), and siloxane-bridged paracyclophane (SiPCP) are systematically investigated using the multiconfiguration quasi-degenerated perturbation theory (MCQDPT) method. The excited states of the alkyl- and silyl-substituted benzene monomers and benzene dimer, which can be regarded as the building blocks of paracyclophanes, are also examined at the same level of theory for more detailed understanding. The accuracy of the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) method required for excited state geometry optimization of the paracyclophanes is confirmed from calculations of the benzene dimer. The equilibrium distances between the benzene rings of the paracyclophanes in the first excited states are shorter than those in the ground state, and the benzene rings at the excited state optimized geometries are in an almost eclipsed parallel configuration, which indicates excimer formation. The calculated transition energies and oscillator strengths are generally in good agreement with the corresponding experimental results. A clear correlation between the excited state properties and the molecular structures is systematically demonstrated based on the calculation results for the substituted benzene monomers and benzene dimer. The transition energies of SiPCP are close to the corresponding absorption and fluorescence energies of the experimentally studied phenylene-silica hybrids, which indicates that the electronic properties of organic-silica hybrids, which is a new class of material with potential in photofunctional applications, can be approximated by simple siloxane-bridged cyclophane derivatives.

Energy Component Analysis of π Interactions

Fundamental features of biomolecules, such as their structure, solvation, and crystal packing and even the docking of drugs, rely on noncovalent interactions. Theory can help elucidate the nature of these interactions, and energy component analysis reveals the contributions from the various intermolecular forces: electrostatics, London dispersion terms, induction (polarization), and short-range exchange-repulsion. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) provides one method for this type of analysis. In this Account, we show several examples of how SAPT provides insight into the nature of noncovalent π-interactions. In cation-π interactions, the cation strongly polarizes electrons in π-orbitals, leading to substantially attractive induction terms. This polarization is so important that a cation and a benzene attract each other when placed in the same plane, even though a consideration of the electrostatic interactions alone would suggest otherwise. SAPT analysis can also support an understanding of substituent effects in π-π interactions. Trends in face-to-face sandwich benzene dimers cannot be understood solely in terms of electrostatic effects, especially for multiply substituted dimers, but SAPT analysis demonstrates the importance of London dispersion forces. Moreover, detailed SAPT studies also reveal the critical importance of charge penetration effects in π-stacking interactions. These effects arise in cases with substantial orbital overlap, such as in π-stacking in DNA or in crystal structures of π-conjugated materials. These charge penetration effects lead to attractive electrostatic terms where a simpler analysis based on atom-centered charges, electrostatic potential plots, or even distributed multipole analysis would incorrectly predict repulsive electrostatics. SAPT analysis of sandwich benzene, benzene-pyridine, and pyridine dimers indicates that dipole/induced-dipole terms present in benzene-pyridine but not in benzene dimer are relatively unimportant. In general, a nitrogen heteroatom contracts the electron density, reducing the magnitude of both the London dispersion and the exchange-repulsion terms, but with an overall net increase in attraction. Finally, using recent advances in SAPT algorithms, researchers can now perform SAPT computations on systems with 200 atoms or more. We discuss a recent study of the intercalation complex of proflavine with a trinucleotide duplex of DNA. Here, London dispersion forces are the strongest contributors to binding, as is typical for π-π interactions. However, the electrostatic terms are larger than usual on a fractional basis, which likely results from the positive charge on the intercalator and its location between two electron-rich base pairs. These cation-π interactions also increase the induction term beyond those of typical noncovalent π-interactions.

Short range DFT combined with long-range local RPA within a range-separated hybrid DFT framework

Selecting excitations in localized orbitals to calculate long-range correlation contributions to range-separated density-functional theory can reduce the overall computational effort significantly. Beyond simple selection schemes of excited determinants, the dispersion-only approximation, which avoids counterpoise-corrected monomer caculations, is shown to be particularly interesting in this context, which we apply to the random-phase approximation. The approach has been tested on dimers of formamide, water, methane and benzene.

On the Importance and Origin of Aromatic Interactions in Chemistry and Biodisciplines

Aromatic systems contain both σ- and π-electrons, which in turn constitute σ- and π-molecular orbitals (MOs). In discussing the properties of these systems, researchers typically refer to the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied MOs, which are π MOs. The characteristic properties of aromatic systems, such as their low ionization potentials and electron affinities, high polarizabilities and stabilities, and small band gaps (in spectroscopy called the N → V1 space), can easily be explained based on their electronic structure. These one-electron properties point to characteristic features of how aromatic systems interact with each other. Unlike hydrogen bonding systems, which primarily interact through electrostatic forces, complexes containing aromatic systems, especially aromatic stacked pairs, are predominantly stabilized by dispersion attraction. The stabilization energy in the benzene dimer is rather small (~2.5 kcal/mol) but strengthens with heteroatom substitution. The stacked interaction of aromatic nucleic acid bases is greater than 10 kcal/mol, and for the most stable stacked pair, guanine and cytosine, it reaches approximately 17 kcal/mol. Although these values do not equal the planar H-bonded interactions of these bases (~29 kcal/mol), stacking in DNA is more frequent than H-bonding and, unlike H-bonding, is not significantly weakened when passing from the gas phase to a water environment. Consequently, the stacking of aromatic systems represents the leading stabilization energy contribution in biomacromolecules and in related nanosystems. Therefore stacking (dispersion) interactions predominantly determine the double helical structure of DNA, which underlies its storage and transfer of genetic information. Similarly, dispersion is the dominant contributor to attractive interactions involving aromatic amino acids within the hydrophobic core of a protein, which is critical for folding. Therefore, understanding the nature of aromatic interactions, which depend greatly on quantum mechanical (QM) calculations, is of key importance in biomolecular science. This Account shows that accurate binding energies for aromatic complexes should be based on computations made at the (estimated) CCSD(T)/complete basis set limit (CBS) level of theory. This method is the least computationally intensive one that can give accurate stabilization energies for all common classes of noncovalent interactions (aromatic-aromatic, H-bonding, ionic, halogen bonding, charge-transfer, etc.). These results allow for direct comparison of binding energies between different interaction types. Conclusions based on lower-level QM calculations should be considered with care.

Vibrational Spectroscopy and Theory of the Protonated Benzene Dimer and Trimer

Protonated benzene cluster ions, H(C(6)H(6))(2)(+) and H(C(6)H(6))(3)(+), are produced in a pulsed electrical discharge source coupled to a supersonic expansion. Mass-selected complexes are investigated with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the 1000-3200 cm(-1) region using the method of argon tagging. The IR spectra of H(C(6)H(6))(2)(+)-Ar and H(C(6)H(6))(3)(+)-Ar contain broad bands in the high frequency region resulting from CH-π hydrogen bonds. Sharp peaks are observed in the fingerprint region arising from the ring modes of both the C(6)H(7)(+) and C(6)H(6) moieties. M06-2X calculations have been performed to investigate the structures and vibrational spectra of energetically low-lying configurations of these complexes. H(C(6)H(6))(2)(+) is predicted to have three nearly isoenergetic conformers: the parallel displaced (PD), T-shaped (TS), and canted (C) structures [Jaeger, H. M.; Schaefer, H. F.; Hohenstein, E. G.; Sherrill, C. D. Comput. Theor. Chem. 2011, 973, 47-52]. A comparison of the experimental dimer spectrum with those predicted for the three isomers suggests an average structure between the TS and PD conformers, which is consistent with the low energy barrier predicted to separate these two structures. No evidence is found for the C dimer even though it lies only 1.2 kcal/mol above the PD dimer. Although the trimer is also computed to have many low lying isomers, the IR spectrum limits the possible species present.

Dispersion-Corrected Density Functional Theory for Aromatic Interactions in Complex Systems

Aromatic interactions play a key role in many chemical and biological systems. However, even if very simple models are chosen, the systems of interest are often too large to be handled with standard wave function theory (WFT). Although density functional theory (DFT) can easily treat systems of more than 200 atoms, standard semilocal (hybrid) density functional approximations fail to describe the London dispersion energy, a factor that is essential for accurate predictions of inter- and intramolecular noncovalent interactions. Therefore dispersion-corrected DFT provides a unique tool for the investigation and analysis of a wide range of complex aromatic systems. In this Account, we start with an analysis of the noncovalent interactions in simple model dimers of hexafluorobenzene (HFB) and benzene, with a focus on electrostatic and dispersion interactions. The minima for the parallel-displaced dimers of HFB/HFB and HFB/benzene can only be explained when taking into account all contributions to the interaction energy and not by electrostatics alone. By comparison of saturated and aromatic model complexes, we show that increased dispersion coefficients for sp(2)-hybridized carbon atoms play a major role in aromatic stacking. Modern dispersion-corrected DFT yields accurate results (about 5-10% error for the dimerization energy) for the relatively large porphyrin and coronene dimers, systems for which WFT can provide accurate reference data only with huge computational effort. In this example, it is also demonstrated that new nonlocal, density-dependent dispersion corrections and atom pairwise schemes mutually agree with each other. The dispersion energy is also important for the complex inter- and intramolecular interactions that arise in the molecular crystals of aromatic molecules. In studies of hexahelicene, dispersion-corrected DFT yields "the right answer for the right reason". By comparison, standard DFT calculations reproduce intramolecular distances quite accurately in single-molecule calculations while inter- and intramolecular distances become too large when dispersion-uncorrected solid-state calculations are carried out. Dispersion-corrected DFT can fix this problem, and these results are in excellent agreement with experimental structure and energetic (sublimation) data. Uncorrected treatments do not even yield a bound crystal state. Finally, we present calculations for the formation of a cationic, quadruply charged dimer of a porphyrin derivative, a case where dispersion is required in order to overcome strong electrostatic repulsion. A combination of dispersion-corrected DFT with an adequate continuum solvation model can accurately reproduce experimental free association enthalpies in solution. As in the previous examples, consideration of the electrostatic interactions alone does not provide a qualitatively or quantitatively correct picture of the interactions of this complex.

Jailbreaking Benzene Dimers

We suggest four new benzene dimers, (C(6)H(6))(2), all featuring one or more cyclohexadiene rings trans-fused to 4- or 6-membered rings. These hypothetical dimers are 50-99 kcal/mol less stable than two benzenes, but have computed activation energies to fragmentation ≥27 kcal/mol. A thorough search of potential escape routes was undertaken, through cyclobutane ring cleavage to 12-annulenes, sigmatropic 1,5-H-shifts, electrocyclic ring-openings of the 6-membered rings, and Diels-Alder dimerizations. Some channels for reaction emerge, but there is a reasonable chance that some of these new benzene dimers can be made.

Asymmetric-Lanczos-Chain-Driven Implementation of Electronic Resonance Convergent Coupled-Cluster Linear Response Theory.

We present an implementation of the damped coupled-cluster linear response function based on an asymmetric Lanczos chain algorithm for the hierarchy of coupled-cluster approximations CCS (coupled-cluster singles), CC2 (coupled-cluster singles and approximate doubles), and CCSD (coupled-cluster singles and doubles). Triple corrections to the excitation energies can be included via the CCSDR(3) (coupled-cluster singles and doubles with noniterative-triples-corrected excitation energies) approximation. The performance and some of the potentialities of the approach are investigated in calculations of the visible/ultraviolet absorption spectrum and the dispersion of the real polarizability in near-resonant regions of pyrimidine, the near-edge absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of ammonia, and the direct determination of the C6 dipole-dipole dispersion coefficient of the benzene dimer.

Potential energy surface of 4-hexyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (6CB) on graphite surface: a DFT study with van der Waals corrections

The potential energy surface (PES) between a 4-hexyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (6CB) molecule and a graphite surface was calculated by the first-principles method based on the density functional theory with empirical van der Waals (vdW) corrections. The parameters of the empirical vdW corrections were derived by fitting the PESs for the benzene–methane, benzene dimer and benzene–benzonitrile molecules to high-level ab initio calculations. The obtained potential energy minimum between 6CB and graphite surface for a configuration was ca. − 27.8 kcal/mol. Based on this PES, we determined the force-field parameters between 6CB and graphite surface to be used in classical molecular simulations in the future work.

Phenylnaphthalenes: Sublimation Equilibrium, Conjugation, and Aromatic Interactions

In this work, the interplay between structure and energetics in some representative phenylnaphthalenes is discussed from an experimental and theoretical perspective. For the compounds studied, the standard molar enthalpies, entropies and Gibbs energies of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, were determined by the measurement of the vapor pressures as a function of T, using a Knudsen/quartz crystal effusion apparatus. The standard molar enthalpies of formation in the crystalline state were determined by static bomb combustion calorimetry. From these results, the standard molar enthalpies of formation in the gaseous phase were derived and, altogether with computational chemistry at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2/cc-pVDZ levels of theory, used to deduce the relative molecular stabilities in various phenylnaphthalenes. X-ray crystallographic structures were obtained for some selected compounds in order to provide structural insights, and relate them to energetics. The thermodynamic quantities for sublimation suggest that molecular symmetry and torsional freedom are major factors affecting entropic differentiation in these molecules, and that cohesive forces are significantly influenced by molecular surface area. The global results obtained support the lack of significant conjugation between aromatic moieties in the α position of naphthalene but indicate the existence of significant electron delocalization when the aromatic groups are in the β position. Evidence for the existence of a quasi T-shaped intramolecular aromatic interaction between the two outer phenyl rings in 1,8-di([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)naphthalene was found, and the enthalpy of this interaction quantified on pure experimental grounds as -(11.9 ± 4.8) kJ·mol(-1), in excellent agreement with the literature CCSD(T) theoretical results for the benzene dimer.

A theoretical investigation on the effect of π–π stacking interaction on 1H isotropic chemical shielding in certain homo- and hetero-nuclear aromatic systems

Significant changes in the proton chemical shielding (and hence the chemical shift) are predicted in going from the monomer to the dimer of benzene, naphthalene, pyridine and quinoline systems and also the trimer of benzene and pyridine. The computed NMR spectra show additional splitting in going from the monomer to the dimer and the trimer of different species. The aromatic protons show a significant upfield shift due to the enhancement of anisotropic shielding by the π electron cloud of the neighboring molecule(s). The nature of the NMR spectra also changes with the orientation of the stacked conformers. The results obtained using Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory along with the GIAO method show the changes in isotropic shielding, in a reasonable basis set independent fashion.

Vibrational energy relaxation of benzene dimer and trimer in the CH stretching region studied by picosecond time-resolved IR-UV pump-probe spectroscopy

Vibrational energy relaxation (VER) of the Fermi polyads in the CH stretching vibration of the benzene dimer (Bz(2)) and trimer (Bz(3)) has been investigated by picosecond (ps) time-resolved IR-UV pump-probe spectroscopy in a supersonic beam. The vibrational bands in the 3000-3100 cm(-1) region were excited by a ps IR pulse and the time evolutions at the pumped and redistributed (bath) levels were probed by resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization with a ps UV pulse. For Bz(2), a site-selective excitation in the T-shaped structure was achieved by using the isotope-substituted heterodimer hd, where h = C(6)H(6) and d = C(6)D(6), and its result was compared with that of hh homodimer. In the hd heterodimer, the two isomers, h(stem)d(top) and h(top)d(stem), show remarkable site-dependence of the lifetime of intracluster vibrational energy redistribution (IVR); the lifetime of the Stem site [h(stem)d(top), 140-170 ps] is ~2.5 times shorter than that of the Top site [h(top)d(stem), 370-400 ps]. In the transient UV spectra, a broad electronic transition due to the bath modes emerges and gradually decays with a nanosecond time scale. The broad transition shows different time profile depending on UV frequency monitored. These time profiles are described by a three-step VER model involving IVR and vibrational predissociation: initial → bath1(intramolecular) → bath2(intermolecular) → fragments. This model also describes well the observed time profile of the Bz fragment. The hh homodimer shows the stepwise VER process with time constants similar to those of the hd dimer, suggesting that the excitation-exchange coupling of the vibrations between the two sites is very weak. Bz(3) also exhibited the stepwise VER process, though each step is faster than Bz(2).

Thioformyl chloride dimer: An excellent model system for the assessment of new computational methods

Eleven configurations of the thioformyl chloride dimer are bound by hydrogen bond, stacking interaction, halogen bond and chalcogen bond, respectively, which makes this small dimer an excellent model system for the assessment of new computational methods. Using the CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energies as a benchmark, we test several newly developed functionals for the 11 configurations of the thioformyl chloride dimer. It is found that the performance of the thioformyl chloride dimer for the assessment of newly developed functionals is better than that of the benzene dimer, and also than that of the formic acid tetramer.

Theoretical study of different substituent benzenes and benzene dimers blue-shifted hydrogen bonds

Density functional theory (DFT) optimizations at M06-2X/6-31++G (d,p) level had been performed in the T-shaped structures of C6H5R (R=NO2, F, H, OH, CH3, and NH2) with benzene complexes. The interaction energies were calculated by counterpoise (CP)-corrected methods. Among the six dimers, we can see that the C–H⋯π bonded of C6H5NO2⋯benzene complex is the most stable one. Furthermore, the C–H⋯π blue-shifted hydrogen bonds in the dimers were studied. All the C–H bonds of the proton donors showed behavior of the contraction. And the different substituent groups had some effect on the contraction of the C–H bond. In addition, the natural bond orbital (NBO) and atoms in molecules (AIMs) analysis were investigated the origin of C–H⋯π blue-shifted hydrogen bond. From the NBO analysis, it was found that a negligible increase of electron density (ED) on the σ* (C–H) orbital and an increase of an s character of the C–H bond upon complexation were responsible for contraction and strengthening of this C–H bond. The AIM analysis showed that all studied dimers in this paper satisfied the indicative criteria of hydrogen bonding interactions and it was necessary to supplement those criteria with information on the changes in the electron density of the donor X–H bond occurring upon complexation to differentiate between H bonding and anti-H bonding.

Direct ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) study of the ionization on a benzene dimer

The ionization dynamics of a benzene dimer have been investigated by means of a direct ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) method in order to elucidate the reaction mechanism. Following the ionization, the T-shaped neutral benzene dimer was gradually changed to a π-stacked benzene dimer cation. The structural change and time evolution of the electronic absorption spectrum were completely visualized for the first time. The time scale of the dimer formation was estimated to be 1.0–1.5 ps. First, the benzene molecule at the stem position (Bz′) was ionized, and the structure of Bz′+ was rapidly deformed due to the Jahn–Teller effects. Next, the rotation of (Bz′)+ gradually occurred relative to Bz. Finally, a π-stacked benzene dimer cation was formed. TD-DFT calculations indicated that the absorption spectrum of (Bz)2+ is blue-shifted as a function of time. The formation mechanism of the benzene dimer cation was discussed on the basis of the theoretical results.