Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2025

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Pancake Bonding in the Stabilization of Cationic Acene Dimers
Rameswar Bhattacharjee1, Hans Lischka2, Miklos Kertesz1
1Chemistry Department and Institute of Soft Matter, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20057-1227, United States.
Abstract:
This study provides a systematic investigation of intermolecular interactions in homodimer of acenes using density functional theory (DFT). Focusing on the +1-charged dimers-frequently encountered in crystal structures-our analysis explores the influence of this charge, which introduces an unpaired electron, significantly affecting electronic properties. The interaction energy of +1-charged acene dimers is significantly larger compared to their neutral counterparts, attributed to the emergence of "pancake bonding″: a partially covalent interaction marked by intermolecular orbital overlap. This bonding mechanism contributes to the enhanced stability of charged acene dimers. Our findings indicate that the interplay between pancake bonding and van der Waals interactions influence the preferred orientations of monomers within these dimers. Transition state modeling reveals that orientational changes between dimer configurations do not completely break pancake bonds.
Related Concept Videos
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Structures of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Carboxylic acid derivatives contain an acyl group attached to a heteroatom such as chlorine, oxygen, or nitrogen. The carbonyl carbon and oxygen are both sp2-hybridized with an unhybridized p orbital.
The three sp2 orbitals of the carbonyl carbon form three σ bonds, one each with the carbonyl oxygen, the α carbon, and the heteroatom, whereas the other two sp2 orbitals of the carbonyl oxygen are occupied by the lone pairs. Further, the...
Stability of Conjugated Dienes
A comparison of the enthalpies of hydrogenation of dienes reveals that conjugated dienes release less heat on hydrogenation, rendering them more stable than their nonconjugated analogs.
α-Hydroxy Ketones via Reductive Coupling of Esters: Acyloin Condensation Overview

