On the Versatility of BH₂ X (X=F, Cl, Br, and I) Compounds as Halogen-, Hydrogen-, and Triel-Bond Donors: An Ab Initio Study

In this manuscript, the ability of BH₂ X compounds (X=F, Cl, Br, and I) to establish halogen-, hydrogen-, and triel-bonding interactions was studied at the RI-MP2/aug-cc-pVQZ level of theory. Several homodimers were taken into account, highlighting the versatility of these compounds to act as both electron donors and electron acceptors. Natural bond orbital analysis showed that orbital effects were important contributors to the global stabilization of the σ- and π-hole bonded complexes studied. Finally, some X-ray solid-state structures retrieved from the Cambridge structural database were described to demonstrate the importance of these interactions involving boron derivatives in the solid state.