Unexpectedly strong anion-π interactions on the graphene flakes

Interactions of anions with simple aromatic compounds have received growing attention due to their relevancy in various fields. Yet, the anion-π interactions are generally very weak, for example, there is no favorable anion-π interaction for the halide anion F(-) on the simplest benzene surface unless the H-atoms are substituted by the highly negatively charged F. In this article, we report a type of particularly strong anion-π interactions by investigating the adsorptions of three halide anions, that is, F(-), Cl(-), and Br(-), on the hydrogenated-graphene flake using the density functional theory. The anion-π interactions on the graphene flake are shown to be unexpectedly strong compared to those on simple aromatic compounds, for example, the F(-)-adsorption energy is as large as 17.5 kcal/mol on a graphene flake (C(84) H(24)) and 23.5 kcal/mol in the periodic boundary condition model calculations on a graphene flake C(113) (the supercell containing a F(-) ion and 113 carbon atoms). The unexpectedly large adsorption energies of the halide anions on the graphene flake are ascribed to the effective donor-acceptor interactions between the halide anions and the graphene flake. These findings on the presence of very strong anion-π interactions between halide ions and the graphene flake, which are disclosed for the first time, are hoped to strengthen scientific understanding of the chemical and physical characteristics of the graphene in an electrolyte solution. These favorable interactions of anions with electron-deficient graphene flakes may be applicable to the design of a new family of neutral anion receptors and detectors.