Parallel face-to-face arene-arene complexes between benzene and substituted benzenes have been investigated at the MP2(full)/6-311G** and M05-2X/6-311G** levels of theory. A reasonably good correlation was found between the binding energies and the ∑|σ(m)| values of the substituted aromatics. It is proposed that a substituent |σ(m)| value informs on both the aromatic substituent dispersion/polarizability and the effect the substituent has on the aromatic electrostatics. Supporting this hypothesis, a combination of electrostatic (∑σ(m)) and dispersion/polarizability (∑M(r)) substituent constant terms gives an excellent, and statistically significant, correlation with the benzene-substituted benzene binding energy. Symmetry adapted perturbation theory energy decomposition calculations show the dominant attractive force is dispersion; however, the sum of all nonelectrostatic forces is essentially a constant, while the electrostatic component varies significantly. This explains the importance of including an electrostatic term when predicting benzene-substituted benzene binding energies.

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Conspectus Interactions between ions and aromatic rings are now a mainstay in the field of supramolecular chemistry. The prototypical cation-π interaction, first characterized in the gas phase, is now well known as an important contributor to protein structure, enzyme function, and as a noncovalent force found in many synthetic systems. The complementary “anion-π interaction” – defined as an electrostatic attraction between an anion positioned over the centroid of an aromatic ring – has recently emerged as another reversible ion-π interaction in supramolecular systems. This type of interaction could offer new selectivity in binding poorly basic, strongly solvated anions and may also affect structure, biological function, and anion transport. This Account describes our group’s efforts in ion-π interactions in two areas. We first describe a series of self-assembled Group 15 (pnictogen)-thiolate complexes, all featuring prominent cation-π interactions between the trivalent pnictogen and an aromatic ring of the ligand. This structural feature appears to stabilize a variety of self-assembled dinuclear macrocycles, dinuclear M2L3 cryptand-analogs, and a tetranuclear As4L2 metallocyclophane. These complexes are all remarkably robust and feature intramolecular cation-π interactions, which suggest that these interactions could be an important feature in ligand design for the Group 15 elements. We also highlight our efforts to characterize the interaction between anions and electron-deficient aromatic rings in solution. Complementary crystallographic and computational studies suggest that off-center weak-σ interactions play the dominant role in stabilizing the anion-arene adducts unless an acidic CH bond is present to participate in favorable CH···anion hydrogen bonds. In solution the weak-σ complexes show downfield shifts of the proton resonances in their NMR spectra. With more polarizable anions such as bromide and iodide, we also observe anion binding by UV/Vis spectroscopy. Initial solution studies suggest these reversible interactions are weak in organic solvents, but the Hofmeister bias in anion binding could be mitigated, if not reversed, in the halides using these anion-π type interactions.

New tripodal urea receptors demonstrate preferential binding of anions over competitive hydrogen bonding solvents. 1H NMR titrations in 10% DMSO-d6/CDCl3 show a higher affinity for nitrate over the halides for the fluorinated receptor, which is lost when the fluorines are removed. An “anion–π” interaction between the nitrate and the π-system of the ethynyl-substituted arene is proposed as the source of this selectivity.