Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
Published on: March 24, 2018
A stepwise mechanism for the mechanochemical synthesis of halogen-bonded cocrystal architectures
Dominik Cincić1, Tomislav Friscić, William Jones
1Laboratory for General and Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Abstract:
A molecular-level mechanism is proposed for two cases of mechanochemical cocrystallization via halogen bonds. The proposed stepwise mechanism is based on the observation and structural characterization of intermediates that appear in early stages of the reaction. The mechanism arises from the competition of strong and weak intermolecular halogen bonds of the N...I and S...I type and involves the initial formation of finite molecular assemblies, held together via N...I bonds that subsequently polymerize into infinite chains by cross-linking through S...I bonds. This mechanism has been observed in the synthesis of linear as well as zigzag halogen-bonded chain architectures.
More Related Videos
12:43The Synthesis of [Sn10(Si(SiMe3)3)4]2- Using a Metastable Sn(I) Halide Solution Synthesized via a Co-condensation Technique
Published on: November 28, 2016
12:30Synthesis of a Thiol Building Block for the Crystallization of a Semiconducting Gyroidal Metal-sulfur Framework
Published on: April 9, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Halogenation of Alkenes
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
Acid-Catalyzed α-Halogenation of Aldehydes and Ketones
In the first step of the mechanism, the acid protonates the carbonyl oxygen resulting in a resonance-stabilized cation, which subsequently loses an α-hydrogen to form an enol tautomer. The C=C bond in an enol is highly nucleophilic because of the electron-donating nature of the –OH group. Consequently, the double bond attacks an electrophilic halogen to form a...
Acid Halides to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis
As shown below, the mechanism involves a nucleophilic attack by water at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen π bond along with the departure of a halide ion. A final proton transfer step yields carboxylic acid...
Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Hydrohalogenation
Formation of Halohydrin from Alkenes
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism