Enhancing chalcogen bonding by metal coordination

Dalton Trans. 2022 Apr 12;51(15):5977-5982. doi: 10.1039/d2dt00796g.

Abstract

This manuscript shows that chalcogen bonding (ChB) interactions are enhanced by the coordination of the chalcogen atom to metal centers as evidenced using DFT calculations (PBE0-D3/def2-TZVP level of theory). X-ray structures retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) are used to support the enhanced ability of Se and Te-atoms coordinated to transition metals to participate in ChBs, eliminating the necessity to use strong electron-withdrawing groups bonded to the Ch atom. Orbital analysis performed using the natural bond orbital (NBO) technique discloses a large LP → σ* contribution, especially for anionic electron donors. In one example, the new σ-hole that is generated upon complexation (opposite to the Ch-M bond) plays a crucial role in the solid state, promoting the formation of infinite 1D polymers.