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Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...

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A hydrogen bond is formed when a weakly positive hydrogen atom already bonded to one electronegative atom (for example, the oxygen in the water molecule) is attracted to another electronegative atom from another polar molecule, such as water (H2O), hydrogen fluoride (HF), or ammonia (NH3). The huge electronegativity difference between the H atom (2.1) and the atom to which it is bonded (4.0 for an F atom, 3.5 for an O atom, or 3.0 for an N atom), combined with the very small size of an H atom...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 11, 2026

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

Published on: March 24, 2018

Halogen bonding molecular capsules.

Oliver Dumele¹, Nils Trapp¹, François Diederich²

¹Laboratorium für Organische Chemie, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland).

Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)

|May 28, 2015

Summary

Researchers created novel molecular capsules using halogen bonding (XB). These capsules demonstrate strong host-guest binding, encapsulating molecules within their cavities even in challenging solvents.

Keywords:

X-ray diffraction halogen bonding host-guest systems self-assembly supramolecular chemistry

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Preparation of Hollow Polystyrene Particles and Microcapsules by Radical Polymerization of Janus Droplets Consisting of Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Oils

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Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Published on: April 22, 2016

Area of Science:

Supramolecular Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Materials Science

Background:

Halogen bonding (XB) is a non-covalent interaction increasingly utilized in supramolecular chemistry.
Designing well-defined supramolecular architectures with predictable binding properties remains a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

To present the first well-defined four-point halogen bonding (XB) supramolecular system.
To investigate the host-guest binding properties of these XB molecular capsules in solution.

Main Methods:

Synthesis of resorcin[4]arene cavitands functionalized with halogen bond donors (F, Cl, Br, I).
NMR spectroscopy (including 2D HOESY) to confirm capsular geometry and determine binding constants.
Thermodynamic analysis of capsule formation.

Main Results:

Successfully formed XB molecular capsules through dimerization of functionalized cavitands.
Achieved high association constants (up to 5370 M⁻¹) for capsule formation, even in competitive solvents.
Demonstrated encapsulation of guest molecules (1,4-dioxane, 1,4-dithiane) with very high binding constants (up to 9.0 x 10⁸ M⁻²).
Capsule formation is enthalpically driven.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates the efficacy of halogen bonding in constructing robust molecular capsules.
The developed system exhibits remarkable host-guest binding capabilities, highlighting potential applications in molecular recognition and encapsulation.