Issue 43, 2012
From the journal:

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Plane and simple: planar tetracoordinate carbon centers in small molecules†

Chad Crigger,a   Bernard K. Wittmaack,a   Marina Tawfik,a   Gabriel Merino*b  and  Kelling J. Donald*a  

* Corresponding authors

a Department of Chemistry, Gottwald Center for the Sciences, University of Richmond, 28 Westhampton Way, Richmond, USA
E-mail: kdonald@richmond.edu
Fax: 804-287-1897
Tel: 804-484-1628

b Departamento de Física Aplicada, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados Unidad Mérida Km, 6 Antigua carretera a Progreso Apdo, Postal 73, Cordemex, Mérida, Yuc., Mexico
E-mail: gmerino@mda.cinvestav.mx

Abstract

A class of neutral 18-electron molecules with planar tetracoordinate carbon (ptC) centers is introduced. We show computationally that when n = 3 the neutral singlet molecule C(BeH)n(BH2)4−n and other isoelectronic (18-valence electron) molecules of main group elements collapse from locally tetrahedral arrangements at the C-center to (near) planar tetracoordinate structures. For C(BeH)3BH2 and C(CH3)(BH2)Li2, for example, the tetrahedral type conformation is not even a minimum on the potential energy surface at the B3PW91, MP2(full), or CCSD levels of theory. The Mg analogue C(MgH)3BH2 of the Be system also features a completely flat global minimum (with even higher energy planar minima in both cases as well). Other neutral compounds that may prefer planar geometries are apparent, and new openings for experimental investigations and theoretical analyses of planar tetracoordinate main group systems are identified. The planar conformation persists at one center in the C(BeH)3BH2 dimer, and may be identifiable in higher order clusters of ptC molecules as well.

Graphical abstract: Plane and simple: planar tetracoordinate carbon centers in small molecules

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CP41986F
Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Apr 2012
Accepted
14 Jun 2012
First published
06 Jul 2012

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012,14, 14775-14783

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Plane and simple: planar tetracoordinate carbon centers in small molecules

C. Crigger, B. K. Wittmaack, M. Tawfik, G. Merino and K. J. Donald, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14, 14775 DOI: 10.1039/C2CP41986F

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