Metallaantiaromaticity of 10-Platinacorrole Complexes.

The aromaticity of cyclic π-conjugated organometallic compounds is known as metallaaromaticity. π-Conjugated metallacycles, such as metallabenzenes and metallapentalenes, have been investigated in order to understand the involvement of the d electrons from the metal center in the π-conjugated systems of the organic ligands. Here, we report the synthesis of Pd(II) 10-platinacorrole complexes with cyclooctadiene (COD) and norbornadiene (NBD) ligands.

Determinant Factors of Three-Dimensional Aromaticity in Antiaromatic Cyclophanes.

Three-dimensional aromaticity arising from the close stacking of two antiaromatic π-conjugated macrocycles has recently received considerable attention. Here, a cyclophane consisting of two antiaromatic Ni(II) norcorrole units tethered with two flexible alkyl chains was synthesized. The norcorrole cyclophane showed crystal polymorphism providing three different solid-state structures.

Spatial Contributions to Nuclear Magnetic Shieldings.

We develop a methodology for calculating, analyzing, and visualizing nuclear magnetic shielding densities which are calculated from the current density via the Biot-Savart relation. Atomic contributions to nuclear magnetic shielding constants can be estimated within our framework with a Becke partitioning scheme. The new features have been implemented in the GIMIC program and are applied in this work to the study of the H and C nuclear magnetic shieldings in benzene (CH) and cyclobutadiene (CH).

Benchmarking Magnetizabilities with Recent Density Functionals.

We have assessed the accuracy of the magnetic properties of a set of 51 density functional approximations, including both recently published and already established functionals. The accuracy assessment considers a series of 27 small molecules and is based on comparing the predicted magnetizabilities to literature reference values calculated using coupled-cluster theory with full singles and doubles and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] employing large basis sets. The most accurate magnetizabilities, defined as the smallest mean absolute error, are obtained with the BHandHLYP functional.

Calculation of vibrationally resolved absorption spectra of acenes and pyrene.

The absorption spectra of naphthalene, anthracene, pentacene and pyrene in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) range have been simulated by using an efficient real-time generating function method that combines calculated adiabatic electronic excitation energies with vibrational energies of the excited states. The vertical electronic excitation energies have been calculated at the density functional theory level using the PBE0 functional and at the second-order approximate coupled-cluster level (CC2). The absorption spectra have been calculated at the PBE0 level for the studied molecules and at the CC2 level for naphthalene.

Three-dimensional aromaticity in an antiaromatic cyclophane.

Understanding of interactions among molecules is essential to elucidate the binding of pharmaceuticals on receptors, the mechanism of protein folding and self-assembling of organic molecules. While interactions between two aromatic molecules have been examined extensively, little is known about the interactions between two antiaromatic molecules. Theoretical investigations have predicted that antiaromatic molecules should be stabilized when they stack with each other by attractive intermolecular interactions.

Four-component relativistic P NMR calculations for trans-platinum(ii) complexes: importance of the solvent and dynamics in spectral simulations.

We report a combined experimental-theoretical study on the 31P NMR chemical shift for a number of trans-platinum(ii) complexes. Validity and reliability of the 31P NMR chemical shift calculations are examined by comparing with the experimental data. A successful computational protocol for the accurate prediction of the 31P NMR chemical shifts was established for trans-[PtCl2(dma)PPh3] (dma = dimethylamine) complexes.

Absorption shifts of diastereotopically ligated chlorophyll dimers of photosystem I.

The light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl) molecules of photosynthetic systems form the basis for light-driven energy conversion. In biological environments, the Chl chromophores occur in two distinct diastereotopic configurations, where the α and β configurations have a magnesium-ligating histidine residue and a 17-propionic acid moiety on the opposite side or on the same side of the Chl ring, respectively. Although β-ligated Chl dimers occupy conserved positions around the reaction center of photosystem I (PSI), the functional relevance of the α/β configuration of the ligation is poorly understood.

Ni(II) 10-Phosphacorrole: A Porphyrin Analogue Containing Phosphorus at the Meso Position.

Ni(II) 10-Phosphacorrole, a porphyrinoid containing phosphorus at the meso position, was synthesized from a bis(α,α'-dibromodipyrrin) Ni(II) complex and a phosphine anion via the palladium-catalyzed formation of a C-C and two C-P bonds. The optoelectronic properties of Ni(II) 10-phosphacorrole can be modulated effectively by oxidation or coordination of a metal to the phosphorus center. While Ni(II) 10-phosphacorrole exhibits a distinctly aromatic character due to the cyclic conjugation of 18 π-electrons, its oxide exhibited weak antiaromaticity, which was confirmed experimentally and theoretically.

Bicycloaromaticity and Baird-type bicycloaromaticity of dithienothiophene-bridged [34]octaphyrins.

Aromatic properties of two recently synthesized dithienothiophene-bridged (DTT) [34]octaphyrins have been investigated by calculating magnetically induced current densities and vertical excitation energies. These intriguing molecules have been proposed to be the first synthesized neutral bicycloaromatic compounds. The triplet state of their dications was even suggested to be Baird-type bicycloaromatic rendering them very interesting as a new prototype of molecules possessing simultaneously the two rare types of aromaticity.

Rational Synthesis of Antiaromatic 5,15-Dioxaporphyrin and Oxidation into β,β-Linked Dimers.

5,15-Dioxaporphyrin was synthesized for the first time by a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of a nickel bis(α,α'-dibromodipyrrin) complex with benzaldoxime, followed by an intramolecular annulation of the α-hydroxy-substituted intermediate. This unprecedented molecule is a 20π-electron antiaromatic system, in terms of Hückel's rule of aromaticity, because lone pair electrons of oxygen atoms are incorporated into the 18π-electron conjugated system of the porphyrin. A theoretical analysis based on the gauge-including magnetically induced current method confirmed its antiaromaticity and a dominant inner ring pathway for the ring current.

Computational Studies of Aromatic and Photophysical Properties of Expanded Porphyrins.

Magnetically induced current densities and ring-current pathways have been calculated at density functional theory (DFT) and second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) levels of theory for a set of expanded porphyrins consisting of five or six pyrrolic rings. The studied molecules are sapphyrin, cyclo[6]pyrrole, rubyrin, orangarin, rosarin, and amethyrin. Different functionals have been employed to assess the functional dependence of the ring-current strength susceptibility.

Magnetically Induced Ring-Current Strengths in Möbius Twisted Annulenes.

The topology of twisted molecular rings is characterized by the linking number, which is equal to the sum of the twist-a local property of the molecular frame-and the writhe-a global parameter, which represents the bending of the molecular ring. In this work, we investigate a number of cyclic all- trans CH annulenes with varying twisting numbers for a given linking number and their dications. The aromatic character is assessed by calculating ring-current strength susceptibilities using the gauge-including magnetically induced currents (GIMIC) method, which makes it possible to conduct a systematic study of the relation between the topology and aromaticity of twisted molecules.

Optical and magnetic properties of antiaromatic porphyrinoids.

Magnetic and spectroscopic properties of a number of formally antiaromatic carbaporphyrins, carbathiaporphyrins and isophlorins with 4n π electrons have been investigated at density functional theory and ab initio levels of theory. The calculations show that the paratropic contribution to the magnetically induced ring-current strength susceptibility and the magnetic dipole-transition moment between the ground and the lowest excited state are related. The vertical excitation energy (VEE) of the first excited state decreases with increasing ring-current strength susceptibility, whereas the VEE of the studied higher-lying excited states are almost independent of the size of the ring-current strength susceptibility.

Relation Between Ring Currents and Hydrogenation Enthalpies for Assessing the Degree of Aromaticity.

Magnetically induced ring-current strength susceptibilities and nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS) have been studied for 15 single-ring aromatic, antiaromatic, and nonaromatic molecules. The current densities have been calculated at the density functional theory (DFT), Hartree-Fock (HF) theory, and second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) levels using the gauge-including magnetically induced current method (GIMIC). The ring-current strength susceptibilities have been obtained by numerical integration of the current density flowing around the molecular ring.

Closed-shell paramagnetic porphyrinoids.

Magnetizabilities and magnetically induced ring-current strength susceptibilities have been calculated at the Hartree-Fock, density functional theory and second order Møller-Plesset levels for a number of antiaromatic closed-shell carbaporphyrins, carbathiaporphyrins and isophlorins. The calculations yield a linear relation between magnetizabilities and ring-current strength susceptibilities. The calculations show that the porphyrinoids with the largest ring-current strength susceptibility are closed-shell paramagnetic molecules with positive magnetizabilities.

The influence of heteroatoms on the aromatic character and the current pathways of BN-dibenzo[a,e]pentalenes.

Four polycyclic molecules have been investigated at the DFT B3LYP/def2-TZVP level of theory using calculated magnetically induced current densities as an indicator of their (anti)aromaticity. Complicated current pathways were found in dibenzo[a,e]pentalene and its three heterocyclic analogues each containing two boron and two nitrogen atoms. The antiaromatic character of the pentalene moiety is weaker in the hydrocarbon molecule and in 5,11-dihydrobenzo[d]benzo[4,5][1,2,3]azadiborolo[3,2-b][1,2,3]azadiborole as compared to the pentalene molecule.

Nuclei-selected atomic-orbital response-theory formulation for the calculation of NMR shielding tensors using density-fitting.

An atomic orbital density matrix based response formulation of the nuclei-selected approach of Beer, Kussmann, and Ochsenfeld [J. Chem. Phys.

Gauge-Origin Independent Calculations of the Anisotropy of the Magnetically Induced Current Densities.

Gauge-origin independent current density susceptibility tensors have been computed using the gauge-including magnetically induced current (GIMIC) method. The anisotropy of the magnetically induced current density (ACID) functions constructed from the current density susceptibility tensors are therefore gauge-origin independent. The ability of the gauge-origin independent ACID function to provide quantitative information about the current flow along chemical bonds has been assessed by integrating the cross-section area of the ACID function in the middle of chemical bonds.

Analysis of the magnetically induced current density of molecules consisting of annelated aromatic and antiaromatic hydrocarbon rings.

Magnetically induced current susceptibilities and current pathways have been calculated for molecules consisting of two pentalene groups annelated with a benzene (1) or naphthalene (2) moiety. Current strength susceptibilities have been obtained by numerically integrating separately the diatropic and paratropic contributions to the current flow passing planes through chosen bonds of the molecules. The current density calculations provide novel and unambiguous current pathways for the unusual molecules with annelated aromatic and antiaromatic hydrocarbon moieties.

New insights into aromatic pathways of carbachlorins and carbaporphyrins based on calculations of magnetically induced current densities.

Magnetically induced current densities have been calculated and analyzed for a number of synthesized carbachlorins and carbaporphyrins using density functional theory and the gauge including magnetically induced current (GIMIC) method. Aromatic properties have been determined by using accurate numerical integration of the current flow yielding reliable current strengths and pathways that are related to the degree of aromaticity and the aromatic character of the studied molecules. All investigated compounds are found to be aromatic.

Predicting the degree of aromaticity of novel carbaporphyrinoids.

Magnetically induced current densities have been calculated for dioxaporphyrin, dithiaporphyrin, true carbaporphyrins, and N-confused porphyrins using the gauge-including magnetically induced current (GIMIC) method. The current-strength susceptibilities (current strengths) have been obtained by numerically integrating the current flow passing selected chemical bonds. The current strength calculations yield very detailed information about the electron delocalization pathways of the molecules.

Aromatic pathways in carbathiaporphyrins.

Magnetically induced current densities and current pathways have been calculated for carbaporphyrins and carbathiaporphyrins using the gauge including magnetically induced current (GIMIC) method. The aromatic character and current pathways are obtained from the calculated current density susceptibilities. The current-density calculations show that five of the studied carbaporphyrinoids are aromatic, two are antiaromatic, and one is nonaromatic.