Organic Superalkalis with Closed-Shell Structure and Aromaticity

TL;DR

This study introduces novel aromatic, closed-shell organic superalkalis created by lithium substitution in hydrocarbons, exhibiting low ionization energies and potential superalkali behavior, expanding the understanding of aromatic superalkali compounds.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates that lithium-substituted hydrocarbons can act as closed-shell, aromatic superalkalis with lower ionization energies than lithium, a novel class of organic superalkalis.

Findings

Lithiated hydrocarbons have lower ionization energies than Li atom.

All studied species are aromatic with reduced aromaticity.

C6Li6 interacts with superhalogens similarly to known superalkalis.

Abstract

Benzene (C6H6) and polycyclic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene (C10H8), anthracene (C14H10) and coronene (C24H12) are well known aromatic organic compounds. We study the substitution of Li replacing all H atoms in these hydrocarbons using density functional method. The vertical ionization energy (VIE) of such lithiated species, i.e., C6Li6, C10Li8, C14Li10 and C24Li12 ranges 4.24-4.50 eV, which is lower than the IE of Li atom. Thus, these species may behave as superalkalis, due to their lower IE than alkali metal. However, these lithiated species possess planar and closed-shell structure, unlike typical superalkalis. Furthermore, all Li-substituted species are aromatic although their degree of aromaticity is reduced as compared to corresponding hydrocarbon analogues. We have further explored the structure of C6Li6 as star-like, unlike its inorganic analogue B3N3Li6, which appears as fan-like structure. We have also demonstrated that the interaction of C6Li6 with a superhalogen (such as BF4) is similar to that of a typical superalkali (such as OLi3). This may further suggest that the proposed lithiated species may form a new class of closed-shell organic superalkalis with aromaticity.