Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Curation of Computational Chemical Libraries Demonstrated with Alpha-Amino Acids
Published on: April 13, 2022
Noncovalent Interactions of π Systems with Sulfur: The Atomic Chameleon of Molecular Recognition
William B Motherwell1, Rafael B Moreno1, Ilias Pavlakos1
1Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK.
Abstract:
The relative strength of noncovalent interactions between a thioether sulfur atom and various π systems in designed top pan molecular balances was determined by NMR spectroscopy. Compared to its oxygen counterpart, the sulfur atom displays a remarkable ability to interact with almost equal facility over the entire range of π systems studied, with the simple alkene emerging as the most powerful partner. With the exception of the O⋅⋅⋅heteroarene interaction, all noncovalent interactions of sulfur with π systems are favoured over oxygen.
Related Concept Videos
Chirality at Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur
A consequence of chirality is the need for enantiomeric resolution. While this is theoretically possible for all...
Valence Bond Theory
Valence Bond Theory
Valence Bond Theory and Hybridized Orbitals
A σ bond (single bond in a Lewis structure) is a covalent bond in which the electron density is...
Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals II
MO Theory and Covalent Bonding

