Imaging the halogen bond in self-assembled halogenbenzenes on silver
Abstract
Even though halogen atoms are highly electronegative, a noncovalent bond can form between an electron donor and a halogen atom in a covalent bond. Such interactions are facilitated by the formation of electron-depleted regions in the halogen's covalent bond, a situation least likely for fluorine atoms. Han et al. used noncontact scanning tunneling microscopy with submolecular resolution to explore how the size and polarizability of halogens affect complex formation by halogenated benzene molecules adsorbed on a silver surface (see the Perspective by Neaton). With the help of density functional theory, they show how several weak interactions, including van der Waals forces, electrostatic repulsions, and halogen bonds, affect structure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 13, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1126/science.aai8625
Entities
People
- Chen Xu
- Chi-Lun Chiang
- Gregory Czap
- Peter J Wagner
- R Wu
- W Ho
- Xinyuan Wei
- Yanxing Zhang
- Zhumin Han
Organizations
- Fudan University
- Henan Normal University
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Science Foundation
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Department of Energy
- University of California