Lewis acidity/basicity of pi-electron systems: theoretical study of a molecular interaction between a pi system and a Lewis acid/base.

Molecular interactions between pi systems having different pi-electron character (benzene, hexafluorobenzene, and borazine), and a Lewis acid/base (borane and ammonia) were theoretically studied. An attractive interaction between benzene, the electron-rich pi system, and borane was observed. On the other hand, repulsive interactions between benzene and ammonia was observed when the lone pair of nitrogen points toward the benzene ring. In contrast, an attractive interaction between hexafluorobenzene, an electron-deficient pi system, and ammonia was observed. Unexpectedly, a weak attractive interaction between hexafluorobenzene and borane was also observed. Borazine shows an interaction both to borane and ammonia. The attraction between the nitrogen atom of borazine and borane was larger than that between the boron atom of borazine and ammonia.