Boat and Chair Shaped Hexahalogen Synthons

• Published in: Chemistry, an Asian journal an Asian journal, 2023-03, Vol.18 (6), p.e202201248-n/a
• Main Authors: Swathi Krishna, P. E., Babu, Hruidya C., Nair, Nanditha G., Hariharan, Mahesh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; halogen bonding; Stability; supramolecular chemistry; synthons; Xylene
• ISSN: 1861-4728; 1861-471X
• DOI: 10.1002/asia.202201248

Non‐covalent halogen bonding interactions are quintessential in crystal engineering for the construction of distinctive supramolecular synthons. Here, we report the first crystalline evidences of unique boat and chair shaped cyclic hexahalogen synthons in the crystal structures of α,α,α′,α′,4‐pentabromo‐o‐xylene (PBX) and α,α,α′,α′,4,5‐hexabromo‐o‐xylene (HBX) respectively. Nature and stability of constituent interactions in the supramolecular synthons are scrutinized with the help of quantum‐chemical calculations. Pendás’ interacting quantum atoms approach confirmed the stability of Br⋅⋅⋅Br interactions leading to boat and chair shaped synthons with major contribution from exchange‐correlation. Although both the molecules are achiral in nature, the packing forces guide PBX to crystallize in the chiral space group P21 with a helix‐like orientation while HBX packs in a centrosymmetric P21/n space group. The extended furcations in the pentabromo derivative construct a molecular framework consisting of macrocycles realized through halogen bonding. Crystalline evidence of boat and chair shaped cyclic Br6 synthons in sequentially brominated o‐xylene derivatives emerging from weak non‐electrostatic interactions is reported.