Structures, binding energies, and spin-spin coupling constants of geometric isomers of pnicogen homodimers (PHFX) 2, X = F, Cl, CN, CH 3, NC

Ab initio MP2/aug′-cc-pVTZ calculations have been carried out to determine the structures and binding energies of homodimers (PHFX)2 for X = F, Cl, CN, CH3, and NC. Geometric isomers of these complexes with Ci symmetry exist, which are differentiated in terms of the nature of the atoms (F–P···P–F, H–P···P–H, or A–P···P–A, with A being the atom of X directly bonded to P), which approach a nearly linear alignment. Of these, isomers having F–P···P–F linear are the most stable. Binding energies, intermolecular distances, and EOM-CCSD spin–spin coupling constants are sensitive to both the nature of X and the atoms that assume the linear alignment.