Molecular electrostatic potential and noncovalent interactions in derivatives of group 8 elements.

this communication reports experimental and theoretical evidences of σ-hole interactions in adducts between nitrogen or oxygen nucleophiles and tetroxides of osmium or other group 8 elements. Cocrystals between pyridine or pyridine N-oxide derivatives and osmium tetroxide are characterized through various techniques and rationalized as σ-hole interactions using DFT calculations and several other computational tools. We propose the term "osme bond" (OmB, Om=Os, Ru, Fe) for naming the noncovalent interactions wherein group 8 elements have the role of the electrophile. The word osme is the transcription of ὀσμή, the ancient Greek word for smell that was used to name the heaviest group 8 element in relation to the smoky odor of its tetroxide.