Designation and Exploration of Halide-Anion Recognition Based on Cooperative Noncovalent Interactions Including Hydrogen Bonds and Anion-π

A novel urea-based anion receptor with an electron-deficient aromatic structural unit, N-p-nitrophenyl-N-(4-vinyl-2-five-fluoro-benzoic acid benzyl ester)-phenyl-urea (FUR), was designed to probe the potential for halide-anion recognition through the cooperation of two distinct noncovalent interactions including hydrogen bonds and anion-π in this work. The nature of the recognition interactions between halide-anion and the designed receptor was theoretically investigated at the molecular level. The geometric features of the hydrogen bond and anion-π of the FUR@X(-) (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) systems were thoroughly investigated. The binding energies and thermodynamic information on the halide-anion recognitions show that the presently designed FUR might selectively recognize anion F(-) based on the cooperation of the N-H···F(-) hydrogen bond and anion-π interactions both in vacuum and in solvents. IR and UV-visible spectra of free FUR and FUR@F(-) have been simulated and discussed qualitatively, which may be helpful for further experimental investigations in the future. Additionally, the electronic properties and behaviors of the FUR@X(-) systems were discussed according to the calculations on the natural bond orbital (NBO) data, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and weak interaction regions.