Symmetry (Oct 2021)

Molecular Recognition, Transient Chirality and Sulfur Hydrogen Bonding in the Benzyl Mercaptan Dimer

  • Rizalina Tama Saragi,
  • Marcos Juanes,
  • Ruth Pinacho,
  • José Emiliano Rubio,
  • José A. Fernández,
  • Alberto Lesarri

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/sym13112022
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 11
p. 2022

Abstract

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The homodimers of transiently chiral molecules offer physical insight into the process of molecular recognition, the preference for homo or heterochiral aggregation and the nature of the non-covalent interactions stabilizing the adducts. We report the observation of the benzyl mercaptan dimer in the isolation conditions of a supersonic jet expansion, using broadband (chirped-pulse) microwave spectroscopy. A single homochiral isomer was observed for the dimer, stabilized by a cooperative sequence of S-H···S and S-H···π hydrogen bonds. The structural data, stabilization energies and energy decomposition describe these non-covalent interactions as weak and dispersion-controlled. A comparison is also provided with the benzyl alcohol dimer.

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