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H‐selenite anions (HSeO3−) form in the solid unprecedented anionic supramolecular chains wherein single units are assembled via alternating short Se⋅⋅⋅O and H⋅⋅⋅O contacts. Crystallographic analyses and computational studies (the quantum theory of "atoms‐in‐molecules", QTAIM, and the noncovalent interaction plot, NCIPlot) consistently prove the attractive nature of these chalcogen bonds (ChBs) and hydrogen honds (HBs), the Janus‐type character of HSeO3− anions which act as both donors and acceptors of ChB and HB, and the possible stability of anion dimers in solution. The effectiveness of the ChBs herein described may lead to consider the HSeO3− moiety as a new entry in the toolbox of crystal engineering based on ChB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homoleptic [L−I−L]+ iodine(I) complexes (where L is a R3R2R1N tertiary amine) were synthesized via the [L−Ag−L]+→ [L−I−L]+ cation exchange reaction. In solution, the amines form [R3R2R1N−Ag−NR1R2R3]+ silver(I) complexes, which crystallize out from solution as the meso‐[L−Ag−L]+complexes, as characterized by X‐ray crystallography. The subsequent [L−I−L]+ iodine(I) analogues were extremely reactive and could not be isolated in the solid state. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study the Ag+−N and I+−N interaction energies in silver(I) and iodine(I) complexes, with the former ranging from −80 to −100 kJ mol−1 and latter from −260 to −279 kJ mol−1. The X‐ray crystal structures revealed Ag+⋅⋅⋅Cπ and Ag+⋅⋅⋅H−C short contacts between the silver(I) cation and flexible N‐alkyl/N‐aryl groups, which are the first of their kind in such precursor complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review highlights recent studies discovering unconventional halogen bonding (HaB) that involves positively charged metal centers. These centers provide their filled d‐orbitals for HaB, and thus behave as nucleophilic components toward the noncovalent interaction. This role of some electron‐rich transition metal centers can be considered an oxymoron in the sense that the metal is, in most cases, formally cationic; consequently, its electron donor function is unexpected. The importance of Ha⋅⋅⋅d‐[M] (Ha=halogen; M is Group 9 (Rh, Ir), 10 (Ni, Pd, Pt), or 11 (Cu, Au)) interactions in crystal engineering is emphasized by showing remarkable examples (reported and uncovered by our processing of the Cambridge Structural Database), where this Ha⋅⋅⋅d‐[M] directional interaction guides the formation of solid supramolecular assemblies of different dimensionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrophilic fluorophosphonium triflates bearing pyridyl (3[OTf]) or imidazolyl (4[OTf])‐substituents act as intramolecular frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) and reversibly form 1 : 1 adducts with CO2 (5+ and 6+). An unusual and labile spirocyclic tetrahedral intermediate (72+) is observed in CO2‐pressurized (0.5–2.0 bar) solutions of cation 4+ at low temperatures, as demonstrated by variable‐temperature NMR studies, which were confirmed crystallographically. In addition, cations 3+ and 4+ actively bind carbonyls, nitriles and acetylenes by 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition, as shown by selected examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover Feature: Erythronium Bonds: Noncovalent Interactions Involving Group 5 Elements as Electron-Density Acceptors (Chem. Eur. J. 60/2023) Cambridge Structural Database, haloperoxidase, noncovalent interactions, sigma-hole interactions, vanadium Keywords: Cambridge Structural Database; haloperoxidase; noncovalent interactions; sigma-hole interactions; vanadium EN Cambridge Structural Database haloperoxidase noncovalent interactions sigma-hole interactions vanadium 1 1 1 10/31/23 20231026 NES 231026 B Vanadium(V) derivatives b , and to a lesser extent analogous compounds of niobium and tantalum, form attractive interactions with electron-rich atoms (neutral or anionic). [Extracted from the article]