Anomalous Halogen–Halogen Interaction Assists Radial Chromophoric Assembly

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The design of highly efficient supramolecular architectures that mimic competent natural systems requires a comprehensive knowledge of noncovalent interactions. Halogen bonding is an excellent noncovalent interaction that forms halogen–halogen (X 2 ) as well as trihalogen interacting synthons. Herein, we report the first observation of a symmetric radial assembly of chromophores ( R 3̅ c space group) composed of a stable hexabromine interacting synthon (Br 6 ) that further push the limits of our understanding on the nature, role, and potential of noncovalent halogen bonding. Contrary to the destabilization proposed for Type-I X 2 interactions, Br 6 -synthon-possessing Type-I X 2 interactions exhibit a stabilizing nature owing to the exchange-correlation component. The radial assembly of chromophores is further strengthened by intermolecular through-space charge transfer interaction. Br 6 -synthon-driven 3-fold symmetric radial assembly render a lattice structure that reminisces the chromophoric arrangement in the light harvesting system 2 of purple bacteria.