Spodium Bonds: Noncovalent Interactions Involving Group 12 Elements

Abstract

The term spodium (Sp) bond is proposed to refer to a net attractive interaction between any element of Group 12 and electron-rich atoms (Lewis bases or anions). These noncovalent interactions are markedly different from coordination bonds (antibonding Sp-ligand orbital involved). Evidence is provided for the existence of this interaction by calculations at the RI-MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory, atoms-in-molecules, and natural bond orbital analyses and by examining solid-state structures in the Cambridge Structure Database.