New triplet silylenes M-Si-M$'$--X along with some unusual cyclic forms (M = Li, Na, and K; M$'$ = Be, Mg, and Ca; X = F, Cl, and Br)

Authors: SAMANEH ASHENAGAR, MOHAMAD ZAMAN KASSAEE

Abstract: Comparison of 54 M-Si--M$'$-X species is carried out using quantum mechanical ab initio and DFT computations at B3LYP/6-311$++$G**, QCISD(T)/6-311$++$G**, and CCSD(T)/6-311$++$G** levels of theory (M = Li, Na, K; M$'$ = Be, Mg, Ca, and X = F, Cl, Br). All triplet species with M = K appear more linear than their corresponding ones with Li and Na. The electronegativity reactivity descriptor for each halogen (X = F, Cl, Br) is used as a tool to evaluate the interrelated properties of these silylenes. Stability, assumed as singlet-triplet energy difference ($\Delta E_{S-T})$ for each series depends on the substituent's electropositivity, analyzed by applying appropriate isodesmic reactions. Stability of triplet M--Si-M$'$-X silylenes increases as functions of electropositivity of $\alpha $-substituents and of $\beta $-substituents. The purpose of the present work was therefore to assess the influence of different di-alkaline metals with different $\beta $-substituents on the singlet--triplet energy gaps.

Keywords: Triplet silylene, electropositivity, energy gaps, $\alpha $ and $\beta $ substituent effects, multiplicity

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