| Popis: |
The role of halogen bonding (XB) in chemical catalysis has largely involved using XB donors as Lewis acid activators to modulate the reactivity of partner Lewis bases. We explore a more uncommon scenario, where a Lewis base modulates reactivity via a spectator halogen bond interaction. Our computational studies reveal that spectator halogen bonds may play an important role in modulating the rate of SN2 reactions. Most notably, π acceptors such as PF3 significantly decrease the barrier to subsitution by decreasing electron density in the very electron rich transition state. Such π-backbonding represents an example of a heretofor unexplored situation in halogen bonding: the combination of both s-donation and π-backdonation in this “non-covalent” interaction. |
