Al2C4H2 Isomers with the Planar Tetracoordinate Carbon (ptC)/Aluminum (ptAl)

Abstract

Forty-one isomers of Al2C4H2 that lie within 50 kcal mol−1 are theoretically identified in this work using density functional theory. Among these, isomers 3 and 14 contain a planar tetracoordinate carbon (ptC) atom that lies at 3.3 and 16.9 kcal mol−1, respectively, and are above the global minimum geometry 1 at the ωB97XD/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory. The other ten isomers that also contain unique bonding features are isomers 4, 18, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 34, and 40. Out of these isomers, 4, 18, 20, 22, 27, 28, and 34 contain planar tetracoordinate aluminum (ptAl) whereas isomers 31 and 40 contain both ptC and ptAl atoms. Chemical bonding characteristic features are thoroughly analyzed for all these eleven isomers with various bonding and topological quantum chemical tools, such as NBO, AdNDP, WBI, and ELF, except isomer 27 due to the observed elongated Al-Al bond length. The current results indicate that ptC isomer 3 is more stable than other isomers because electron delocalization is more prevalent and it also has double aromaticity as observed from the ELF, NICS, and AdNDP analysis. Further, the structural stability of these isomers is investigated through ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulation. Isomer 21 shows the planar pentacoordinate aluminum but it is observed as a kinetically unstable geometry from AIMD and, further, one could notice that it isomerizes to isomer 12.

Five Bonds to Carbon through Tri-Coordination in Al3C3−/0

“…Recently, Malhan et al reported the Al 2 C 4 H 2 system with ptC, planar tetra-coordinate aluminum (ptAl), and planar penta-coordinate aluminum (ppAl) atoms with aromatic characteristics [59]. The aforementioned discoveries have also inspired researchers to look for further systems containing hyper-coordinate main group elements, such as group 13 elements.…”

Global minimum and a heap of low-lying isomers with planar tetracoordinate carbon in the CAl3MgH2− system

“…38 In the past we have also reported ptCs of Al 3 C 3 À/0 and Al 2 C 4 H 2 systems, but they are local minimum geometries on the potential energy surface (PES). 39,40 Evidently, one can find that every known ptC structure is stabilized by metallic or organometallic ligands. No hydrogenated ptC species were reported until 2017 because the hydrogenation of ptC can alter its skeletal electrons, which may lead to non-planarity of the ptC structure.…”