Cocrystallization of CuI with NCNMe2 in the
presence
of 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (1,4-FIB) and 1,4-dibromotetrafluorobenzene
(1,4-FBrB) in MeCN gave cocrystals [Cu4I4(NCNMe2)4]·1,4-FIB, [Cu4I4(NCNMe2)2(NCMe)2]·1,4-FIB, and [Cu4I4(NCNMe2)4]·1,4-FBrB,
whose solid-state structures were studied by X-ray diffraction. In
these three cases, the perfluorinated haloarenes function as combined
σ- and π-hole donors, and their crystal structures exhibit
intermolecular contacts, including halogen bonding (HaB) and π-hole
interactions with the iodine ligands of the copper clusters. Analysis
of the theoretical calculation data indicated that the formation of
(cubane)·(perfluorinated haloarene) π–hole dimer
is slightly energetically more favorable than (cubane)·(perfluorinated
haloarene) HaB-based σ-hole dimer. The π-hole contacts
and HaBs are accompanied by additional hydrogen bonding and also π-hole(NCN)···X (X = Br, I) contacts. Altogether, these
interactions lead to the occurrence of moderately strong noncovalent
binding between copper clusters and the aromatic HaB donors.