title: The structure of the H3O+ hydronium ion in benzene.
abstract: Infrared, X-ray structural, 1H NMR, and computational evidence for pi-solvation of H3O+ by benzene molecules is presented. A salt with a discrete [H3O.3benzene]+ cation can be isolated using a very weakly interacting carborane counterion, CHB11Cl11-. pi-Arene solvation of H3O+ explains the solubility of this salt in benzene solution. Similar results are indicated for the "Zundel-type" H5O2+ ion. These findings suggest structures for the active protonating species when strong acids are used as catalysts in arene solvents containing trace water. They are also relevant to structures that may be present in biological proton transport.
authors.affiliation: Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Prospekt Lavrentieva, 5, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
authors.forename: Evgenii S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Stoyanov
authors.forename: Stephan P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Kee-Chan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Fook S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Tham
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D001554:Benzene / Q000737:chemistry*; D001880:Boranes / Q000737:chemistry*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009861:Onium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
chemical_list: D001880:Boranes; D009861:Onium Compounds; C027727:hydronium ion; D001554:Benzene