Structures, molecular orbitals and UV-vis spectra investigations on Br2C6H4: a computational study

The dibromobenzenes (1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4-Br2C6H4) have been studied by theoretical methods. The structures of these species are optimized and the structural characteristics are determined by density functional theory (DFT) and the second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) levels. The geometrical structures of Br2C6H4 show a little distortion of benzene ring due to the substitution of highly electronegativity of bromine atoms. The electronegativity of bromine atoms in 1,4-Br2C6H4 is predicted to be more negative than 1,2- and 1,3-Br2C6H4. In addition, dipole moment and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) of these Br2C6H4 are performed as well. The 1,4-Br2C6H4 is slightly more reactive than 1,2- and 1,3-Br2C6H4 because of its small HOMO-LUMO energy gap. The simulated UV-vis spectra are investigated by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach, which are in excellent agreement with the available experimental value. Our calculations show that a few of absorption features are between 140nm and 250nm, which is in ultraviolet C range, and the red shift of 1,3- and 1,4-Br2C6H4 are predicted. Moreover, the UV absorption features of these Br2C6H4 in water or methanol are predicted to be more intense than in gas phase due to solvent effect.