Directional character of solvent- and anion-pentafluorophenyl supramolecular interactions

A thorough statistical analysis of the structures deposited in the Cambridge Structure Database reveals that both the lone-pair-pi and anion-pi interactions occur in a predictive and directional fashion, as evidenced by the careful examination of potential bonding contacts between some common solvent molecules or non-coordinating anions and the electron-rich phenyl or electron-deficient pentafluorophenyl rings. The general directional character of both the lone-pair-pi and anion-pi bonds is clearly observed in the solid state.