Search for: All records

1,3-Diiodo-5-nitrobenzene, C₆H₃I₂NO₂, and 1,3-dibromo-5-nitrobenzene, C₆H₃Br₂NO₂, crystallize in the centrosymmetric space groupP2₁/m, and are isostructural with 1,3-dichloro-5-nitrobenzene, C₆H₃Cl₂NO₂, that has been redetermined at 100 K for consistency. While the three-dimensional packing in all three structures is similar, the size of the halogen atom affects the nonbonded close contacts observed between molecules. Thus, the structure of 1,3-diiodo-5-nitrobenzene features a close Type 1 I...I contact, the structure of 1,3-dibromo-5-nitrobenzene features a self-complementary nitro-O...Br close contact, while the structure of 1,3-dichloro-5-nitrobenzene also has a self-complementary nitro-O...Cl interaction, as well as a bifurcated C—H...O(nitro) close contact. Notably, the major energetically attractive intermolecular interaction between adjacent molecules in each of the three structures corresponds to a π-stacked interaction. The self-complementary halogen...O(nitro) and C—H...O(nitro) interactions correspond to significant cohesive attraction between molecules in each structure, while the Type 1 halogen–halogen contact is weakly cohesive.

 

This study expands and combines concepts from two of our earlier studies. One study reported the complementary halogen bonding and π-π charge transfer complexation observed between isomeric electron rich 4-N,N-dimethylaminophenylethynylpyridines and the electron poor halogen bond donor, 1-(3,5-dinitrophenylethynyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-iodobenzene while the second study elaborated the ditopic halogen bonding of activated pyrimidines. Leveraging our understanding on the combination of these non-covalent interactions, we describe cocrystallization featuring ditopic halogen bonding and π-stacking. Specifically, red cocrystals are formed between the ditopic electron poor halogen bond donor 1-(3,5-dinitrophenylethynyl)-2,4,6-triflouro-3,5-diiodobenzene and each of electron rich pyrimidines 2- and 5-(4-N,N-dimethyl-aminophenylethynyl)pyrimidine. The X-ray single crystal structures of these cocrystals are described in terms of halogen bonding and electron donor-acceptor π-complexation. Computations confirm that the donor-acceptor π-stacking interactions are consistently stronger than the halogen bonding interactions and that there is cooperativity between π-stacking and halogen bonding in the crystals. 

Co‐crystallization of a pyridyl‐containing arylethynyl (AE) moiety with 1,4‐diiodotetrafluorobenzene leads to unique, figure‐eight shaped helical motifs within the crystal lattice. A slight twist in the AE backbone allows each AE unit to simultaneously interact with haloarene units that are stacked on top of one another. Left‐handed (M) and right‐handed (P) helices are interspersed in a regular pattern throughout the crystal. The major driving forces for assembly are 1) halogen bonding between the pyridyl nitrogen atoms and the iodine substituents of the haloarene, with N⋅⋅⋅I distances between 2.81 and 2.84 Å, and 2) π‐π stacking of the haloarenes, with distances of approximately 3.57 Å between centroids. Halogen bonding and π‐π stacking not only work in concert, but also seem to mutually enhance one another. Calculations suggest that the presence of π‐π stacking modestly intensifies the halogen bonding interaction by <0.2 kcal/mol; likewise, halogen bonding to the haloarene enhances the π‐π stacking interaction by 0.59 kcal/mol.