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The ability of Ex 2 Box 4+ to interact with guests containing π‐electron‐rich and π‐electron‐poor moieties
Author(s) -
Nagurniak Glaucio R.,
Caramori Giovanni F.,
MuñozCastro Alvaro,
Parreira Renato L. T.,
da Silva Éder H.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.25607
Subject(s) - chemistry , stacking , non covalent interactions , covalent bond , electron , nitro , decomposition , computational chemistry , electron transfer , photochemistry , organic chemistry , physics , molecule , hydrogen bond , quantum mechanics , alkyl
The ability of Ex[2][J. C. Barnes, 2013]Box 4+ as a host, able to trap guests containing both π‐electron rich (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons‐PAHs) and π‐electron poor (quinoid‐ and nitro‐PAHs) moieties was investigated to shed light on the main factors that control the host–guest (HG) interaction. The nature of the HG interactions was elucidated by energy decomposition (EDA‐NOCV), noncovalent interaction (NCI), and magnetic response analyses. EDA‐NOCV reveals that dispersion contributions are the most significant to sustain the HG interaction, while electrostatic and orbital contributions are very tiny. In fact, no significant covalent character in the HG interactions was observed. The obtained results point strictly to NCIs, modulated by dispersion contributions. Regardless of whether the guests contain π‐electron‐rich or π‐electron‐poor moieties, and no significant charge‐transfer was observed. All in all, HG interactions between guests 3‐14 and host 2 are predominantly modulated by π‐π stacking.