2nπ Aromaticity in Hetero-onocyclic Molecules
摘要
Hückel’s (4n + 2) rule plays a vital role in rationalizing and predicting the aromaticity of annulenes (CnHn) and cyclic systems with delocalized electrons. The π-electron behavior in annulenes can be described by a two-dimensional (2D) jellium model, where π molecular orbitals (MOs) are treated as superatomic 2D orbitals (S, P, D …). Herein, heteroatoms (B, N, O) were introduced to replace C atoms in annulenes to extend the aromatic rule of monocyclic species beyond Hückel’s (4n + 2) framework. Electronic structures and aromaticity of CnHn (n = 4, 6, 8) and their heteroatom counterparts, BnNnH2n and BnOnHn (n = 2, 3, 4), were compared. C6H6, B3N3H6, and B3O3H3 with 6π electrons are aromatic with a superatomic closed-shell configuration of |S2|P4|, consistent with Hückel’s rule. Intriguingly, despite being 4n system, B4N4H8/B4O4H4 (8π) exhibit aromaticity, different from antiaromatic C8H8. Additionally, antiaromaticity of B2N2H4/B2O2H2 (4π) are weakened, exhibiting a new type of aromaticity. This is attributed to the significant splitting of the doubly degenerate superatomic P or D orbitals induced by the electronegativity difference between heteroatoms, which stabilizes the occupied orbitals (Px, Dxy) relative to their unoccupied counterparts (Py, Dx2-y2). This work enriches the fundamental understanding of aromaticity by proposing the 2nπ (n ≥ 2) aromaticity in hetero-monocyclic molecules.
Graphical Abstract