Density
functional theory (DFT) and zeroth-order regular approximation DFT
calculations were performed to investigate the electronic structures
and 13C and 207Pb nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR) chemical shifts of metal-coordinated plumboles, namely, monorhodioplumbole
([Rh–plumbole]−), dirhodioplumbole
(Rh2–plumbole), and dilithioplumbole
(Li2–plumbole), which have a five-membered ring
containing lead. The molecular orbital correlation diagram and extended
transition state–natural orbitals for chemical valence analysis
of the [Rh–plumbole]− and Rh2–plumbole
complexes showed that the plumbole is primarily a π-donor, with
π-donation being dominant in the Rh2–plumbole
complex. The present calculations show that the Pb–Cα internuclear distances are longer in the Rh2–plumbole
complex than in [Rh–plumbole]− because of
the combined effect of strong π-donation and weak π-back-donation
in the Rh2–plumbole complex. The calculated 207Pb and 13Cα NMR chemical shifts
agree with the experimental trends reasonably well. The influences
of the relativistic effect, role of the functional, effect of the
solvent, and dependence of the exact exchange admixture on the calculated 207Pb and 13Cα NMR chemical shifts
were investigated. The NMR chemical shift trend of the 207Pb atom in the complexes originates from the paramagnetic and spin–orbit
contributions. NMR component analysis revealed that the upfield shift
of the 13Cα atoms of the [Rh–plumbole]− and Rh2–plumbole complexes compared
to that of the Li2–plumbole complex is mainly due
to the decrease in the paramagnetic term.