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The first step in comprehending the properties of Au10 clusters is understanding the lowest energy structure at low and high temperatures. Functional materials operate at finite temperatures; however, energy computations employing density functional theory (DFT) methodology are typically carried out at zero temperature, leaving many properties unexplored. This study explored the potential and free energy surface of the neutral Au10 nanocluster at a finite temperature, employing a genetic algorithm coupled with DFT and nanothermodynamics. Furthermore, we computed the thermal population and infrared Boltzmann spectrum at a finite temperature and compared it with the validated experimental data. Moreover, we performed the chemical bonding analysis using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) approach and the adaptive natural density partitioning method (AdNDP) to shed light on the bonding of Au atoms in the low-energy structures. In the calculations, we take into consideration the relativistic effects through the zero-order regular approximation (ZORA), the dispersion through Grimme's dispersion with Becke–Johnson damping (D3BJ), and we employed nanothermodynamics to consider temperature contributions. Small Au clusters prefer the planar shape, and the transition from 2D to 3D could take place at atomic clusters consisting of ten atoms, which could be affected by temperature, relativistic effects, and dispersion. We analyzed the energetic ordering of structures calculated using DFT with ZORA and single-point energy calculation employing the DLPNO-CCSD(T) methodology. Our findings indicate that the planar lowest energy structure computed with DFT is not the lowest energy structure computed at the DLPN0-CCSD(T) level of theory. The computed thermal population indicates that the 2D elongated hexagon configuration strongly dominates at a temperature range of 50–800 K. Based on the thermal population, at a temperature of 100 K, the computed IR Boltzmann spectrum agrees with the experimental IR spectrum. The chemical bonding analysis on the lowest energy structure indicates that the cluster bond is due only to the electrons of the 6 s orbital, and the Au d orbitals do not participate in the bonding of this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we delved into the structure of B5H5 and questioned some of its accepted assumptions. By exploring the potential energy surface, we found a new three-dimensional structure as the global minimum. This finding is in contrast with the previously hypothesized planar and cage-like models. Our exploration extends to the kinetic stability of various B5H5 isomers, offering insights into the dynamic behavior of these molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When (4n +2) π‐electrons are located in single planar ring, it conventionally qualifies as aromatic. According Hückel's rule, systems possessing ten π‐electrons should be aromatic. Herein we report a series of D5h Li6E5Li6 sandwich structures, representing the first global minima featuring ten π‐electrons E510− ring (E=Si−Pb). However, these π‐electrons localize as five π‐lone‐pairs rather than delocalized orbitals. The high symmetry structure achieved is a direct consequence of σ‐aromaticity, particularly favored in elements from Si to Pb, resulting in a pronounced diatropic ring current flow that contributes to the enhanced stability of these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion that a regular icosahedron is unattainable in neutral B12H12 has persisted for nearly 70 years. This is because 24 valence electrons are used for B–H bonds, while another 24 electrons are necessary to maintain the deltahedron, unlike the 26 used in the dianion. According to Wade–Mingos rules, the neutral system should be a deltahedron with a capped face. Nevertheless, our exploration of the potential energy surface of B12H12 reveals that the global minimum is a closed-shell form with an H2 unit attached to a boron vertex of B12H10, preserving the deltahedral boron skeleton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion that a regular icosahedron is unattainable in neutral B12H12 has persisted for nearly 70 years. This is because 24 valence electrons are used for B–H bonds, while another 24 electrons are necessary to maintain the deltahedron, unlike the 26 used in the dianion. According to Wade–Mingos rules, the neutral system should be a deltahedron with a capped face. Nevertheless, our exploration of the potential energy surface of B12H12 reveals that the global minimum is a closed-shell form with an H2 unit attached to a boron vertex of B12H10, preserving the deltahedral boron skeleton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermodynamic, kinetic, and chemical bonding analysis at the coupled cluster level has been carried out for a series of hypercoordinated carbon compounds with formula CH4Ng2+ (Ng = He–Rn). Results show that these compounds could be stable at room temperature and Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations (BOMD) in conjunction with activation energies indicate high kinetic stability. In addition, all chemical bonding descriptors agree with a strong C–Ng covalent bond and a bonding pattern similar to that of CH5+. Finally, BOMD simulations showed that these compounds are fluxional, with a continuous formation/breaking of H–H and C–H bonds. To the best of the authors' knowledge, these results represent the first series of fluxional compounds possessing a covalent bond between a main group element and a noble gas atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using various exploration strategies, in this study, we investigated the potential energy surfaces (PES) of CBe5H5+ and CnBe3n+2H2n+22+ (n = 2–4) clusters. Previous studies proposed that the planar pentacoordinate carbons (ppCs) were the global minima of these clusters. However, our study identified new putative global minima and competitive isomers, refuting some previous assignments. We employed several methods, including evolutive-inspired stochastic approaches guided by "chemical criteria", and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations at elevated temperatures. Our results showed that the size of the scanned population significantly affected the evolutive method and that constrained or guided procedures showed an advantage in identifying better minima for larger systems. This study demonstrated that using multiple complementary strategies can result in a wider variety of minima in a given energy range. Our findings provide valuable insights into exploring the potential energy surfaces of clusters, mainly medium-sized clusters, which could be the connections between small clusters and nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we present evidence that the D2h M2C50/2+ (M = Li-K, Be-Ca, Al-In, and Zn) species comprises planar hexacoordinate carbon (phC) structures that exhibit four covalent and two electrostatic interactions. These findings have been made possible using evolutionary methods for exploring the potential energy surface (AUTOMATON program) and the Interacting Quantum Atoms (IQA) methodology, which support the observed bonding interactions. It is worth noting, however, that these structures are not the global minimum. Nonetheless, incorporating two cyclopentadienyl anion ligands (Cp) into the CaC52+ system has enhanced the relative stability of the phC isomer. Moreover, cycloparaphenylene ([8]CPP) provides system protection and kinetic stability. These results indicate that using appropriate ligands presents a promising approach for expanding the chemistry of phC species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, it is shown that the M3B12 (M = Cu-Au) clusters' global minima consist of an elongated planar B12 fragment connected by an in-plane linear M3 fragment. This result is striking since this B12 planar structure is not favored in the bare cluster, nor when one or two metals are added. The minimum energy structures were revealed by screening the potential energy surface using genetic algorithms and density functional theory calculations. Chemical bonding analysis shows that the strong electrostatic interactions with the metal compensate for the high energy spent in the M3 and B12 fragment distortion. Furthermore, metals participate in the delocalized π-bonds, which infers an aromatic character to these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic exploration of the potential energy surface reveals two global minima with three planar tetra coordinate carbons (ptCs) and two global minima with three quasi-ptCs for E6C15 (E = Si–Pb) combinations. These consist of aromatic polycyclic templates suitable for further design of different materials without hindering the ptC texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]