Triply-bonded indiumphosphorus molecules: theoretical designs and characterization†
Jia-Syun Lu,Ming-Chung Yang
RSC Advances Pub Date : 04/10/2017 00:00:00 , DOI:10.1039/C7RA01295K
Abstract

The effect of substitution on the potential energy surfaces of triple-bonded RIn[triple bond, length as m-dash]PR (R = F, OH, H, CH3, SiH3, NHC, SiMe(SitBu3)2 and SiiPrDis2) species was investigated, using the density functional theory (i.e., M06-2X/Def2-TZVP, B3PW91/Def2-TZVP and B97-D3/LANL2DZ+dp). The theoretical results suggest all of the triple-bonded RIn[triple bond, length as m-dash]PR molecules prefer to adopt a bent form with an angle (∠In–P–R) of about 90°. Present theoretical evidence suggests only the bulkier substituents, in particular for the strong donating groups (such as the NHC group), can greatly stabilize the In[triple bond, length as m-dash]P triple bond. In addition, bonding analyses demonstrate the bonding character of such triple-bonded RIn[triple bond, length as m-dash]PR compounds should be represented as Image ID:c7ra01295k-u1.gif. That is to say, the In[triple bond, length as m-dash]P triple bond contains one traditional σ bond, one traditional π bond, and one donor–acceptor π bond. As a consequence, the theoretical findings strongly suggest the In[triple bond, length as m-dash]P triple bond in acetylene analogues (RIn[triple bond, length as m-dash]PR) should be very weak.

Graphical abstract: Triply-bonded indium [[triple bond, length as m-dash]] phosphorus molecules: theoretical designs and characterization