Nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of silylenes from a molecular electrostatic potential and dual descriptor perspectives

Nucleophilicity and elecrophilicity of mono and disubstituted silylenes are analyzed using the molecular electrostatic potential and the dual descriptor Delta f((r) over right arrow), defined within the so called conceptual DFT. A set of 32 compounds has been chosen which can be classified into 4 groups or families based on a linear relationship between the molecular electrostatic potential measured in the electrophilic (empty 3p(z) orbital) V-A and nucleophilic (lone pair) V-min regions around of the silicon atom. The electrophilic and nucleophilic character of silylenes given by vertical bar V-A-V-min vertical bar is connected to the orbital-resolved dual descriptor Delta f(3pz) through the pi-electron donating property of the substituent. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.