Halogen bonding in hypervalent iodine compounds

Halogen bonds occur when electrophilic halogens (Lewis acids) attractively interact with donors of electron density (Lewis bases). This term is commonly used for interactions undertaken by monovalent halogen derivatives. The aim of this chapter is to show that the geometric features of the bonding pattern around iodine in its hypervalent derivatives justify the understanding of some of the longer bonds as halogen bonds. We suggest that interactions directionality in ionic and neutral λ3-iodane derivatives is evidence that the electron density distribution around iodine atoms is anisotropic, a region of most positive electrostatic potential exists on the extensions of the covalent bonds formed by iodine, and these positive caps affect, or even determine, the crystal packing of these derivatives. For instance, the short cation–anion contacts in ionic λ3-iodane and λ5-iodane derivatives fully match the halogen bond definition and geometrical prerequisites. The same holds for the short contacts the cation of ionic λ3-iodanes forms with lone-pair donors or the short contacts given by neutral λ3-iodanes with incoming nucleophiles. The longer and weaker bonds formed by iodine in hypervalent compounds are usually called secondary bondings and we propose that the term halogen bond can also be used. Compared to the term secondary bond, halogen bond may possibly be more descriptive of some bonding features, e.g., its directionality and the relationships between structure of interacting groups and interaction strength.