Interplay between cation-π and coinage-metal-oxygen interactions: an ab initio study and Cambridge Structural Database survey.

The interplay between cation-π and coinage-metal-oxygen interactions are investigated in the ternary systems N⋅⋅⋅PhCCM⋅⋅⋅O (N=Li(+), Na(+), Mg(2+); M=Ag, Au; O=water, methanol, ethanol). A synergetic effect is observed when cation-π and coinage-metal-oxygen interactions coexist in the same complex. The cation-π interaction in most triads has a greater enhancing effect on the coinage-metal-oxygen interaction. This effect is analyzed in terms of the binding distance, interaction energy, and electrostatic potential in the complexes. Furthermore, the formation, strength, and nature of both the cation-π and coinage-metal-oxygen interactions can be understood in terms of electrostatic potential and energy decomposition. In addition, experimental evidence for the coexistence of both interactions is obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD).