Double aromaticity of neutral, planar rings of carbon atoms is demonstrated through visualisation of the induced ring currents, mapped at the ipsocentric B3LYP/6-31G(d)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level for species C(6) to C(30), with onset of delocalised current in the in-plane pi system at C(10)/C(11). Both in-plane and conventional out-of-plane pi systems have diatropic/paratropic current in accordance with the Hückel rule, with 4 m+2 occupation of the out-of-plane pi system taking precedence, as predicted by simple nesting of Frost-Musulin diagrams. The current-density maps show characteristic double-doughnut and double-track topographies for out-of-plane and in-plane ring currents, respectively, both governed by a common framework of angular momentum rules.

Visualization of induced current density using the ipsocentric CHF/CTOCD-DZ/6-31G** approach gives a direct demonstration of the literature proposal of reversal of [4n]annulene antiaromaticity on stacking cyclooctatetraene (COT) rings into a superphane. Through-space interactions lead to a closed-shell in which paratropicity of planar COT units is quenched, and layered diatropic currents arise from magnetic response of two pairs of frontier orbitals. A general orbital model rationalizes the differences in current between stacked aromatic and antiaromatic rings.

Ring current maps for the toroidal boron clusters B2n (n = 6−14) are computed within the ipsocentric approach. They reveal double aromaticity for the clusters with even n but mixed aromaticity for those with odd n, consistent with angular momentum selection rules extended to the separate radial and tangential manifolds of molecular orbitals.

Evidence that a 1,2-dihydroxycyclohexadienide anion is stabilized by aromatic “negative hyperconjugation” is described. It complements an earlier inference of “positive” hyperconjugative aromaticity for the cyclohexadienyl cation. The anion is a reactive intermediate in the dehydration of benzene cis-1,2-dihydrodiol to phenol. Rate constants for 3-substituted benzene cis-dihydrodiols are correlated by σ– values with ρ = 3.2. Solvent isotope effects for the reactions are k H2O/k D2O = 1.2–1.8. These measurements are consistent with reaction via a carbanion intermediate or a concerted reaction with a “carbanion-like” transition state. These and other experimental results confirm that the reaction proceeds by a stepwise mechanism, with a change in rate-determining step from proton transfer to the loss of hydroxide ion from the intermediate. Hydrogen isotope exchange accompanying dehydration of the parent benzene cis-1,2-dihydrodiol was not found, and thus, the proton transfer step is subject to internal return. A rate constant of ∼1011 s–1, corresponding to rotational relaxation of the aqueous solvent, is assigned to loss of hydroxide ion from the intermediate. The rate constant for internal return therefore falls in the range 1011–1012 s–1. From these limiting values and the measured rate constant for hydroxide-catalyzed dehydration, a pK a of 30.8 ± 0.5 was determined for formation of the anion. Although loss of hydroxide ion is hugely exothermic, a concerted reaction is not enforced by the instability of the intermediate. Stabilization by negative hyperconjugation is proposed for 1,2-dihydroxycyclohexadienide and similar anions, and this proposal is supported by additional experimental evidence and by computational results, including evidence for a diatropic (“aromatic”) ring current in 3,3-difluorocyclohexadienyl anion.

Measurements of pK(R) show that the cycloheptadienyl cation is less stable than the cyclohexadienyl (benzenium) cation by 18 kcal mol(-1). This difference is ascribed here to "hyperaromaticity" of the latter. For the cycloheptadienyl cation a value of K(R) = [ROH][H(+)]/[R(+)] is assigned by combining a rate constant for reaction of the cation with water based on the azide clock with a rate constant for the acid-catalyzed formation of the cation accompanying equilibration of cycloheptadienol with its trifluoroethyl ether in TFE-water mixtures. Comparison of pK(R) = -16.1 with pK(R) = -2.6 for the cyclohexadienyl cation yields the difference in stabilities of the two ions. Interpretation of this difference in terms of hyperconjugative aromaticity is supported by the effect of benzannelation in reducing pK(R) for the benzenium ion: from -2.6 down to -3.5 for the 1H-naphthalenium and -6.0 for the 9H-anthracenium ions, respectively. MP2/6-311+G** and G3MP2 calculations of hydride ion affinities of benzenium ions show an order of stabilities for substituents at the methylene group consistent with their hyperconjugative abilities, i.e., (H(3)Si)(2) > cyclopropyl > H(2) > Me(2)> (HO)(2) > F(2). Calculations of ring currents show a similar ordering. No conventional ring current is seen for the cycloheptadienyl cation, whereas currents in the F(2)-substituted benzenium ion are consistent with antiaromaticity. Arenium ions where the methylene group is substituted with a single OH group show characteristic energy differences between conformations, with C-H or C-OH bonds respectively occupying or constrained to axial positions favorable to hyperconjugation. The differences were found to be 8.8, 6.3, 2.4, and 0.4 kcal mol(-1) for benzenium, naphthalenium, phenanthrenium, and cyclohexenyl cations, respectively.