The electronic structure of inorganic benzenes: Valence bond and ring-current descriptions

Valence bond (VB) theory and ring-current maps have been used to study the electronic structure of inorganic benzene analogues X₆H₆ (X = C (1), Si (2)), X₆ (X = N (3), P (4)), X₃Y ₃H₆ (X,Y = B,N (5), B,P (6), Al,N (7), Al,P (8)), and B₃Y₃H₃ (Y = O (9), S (10)). It is shown that the homonuclear compounds possess benzene-like character, with resonance between two Kekulé-like structures and induced diatropic ring currents. Heteronuclear compounds typically show localization of the lone pairs on the electronegative atoms; Kekulé-like structures do not contribute. Of the heteronuclear compounds, only B₃P₃H₆ (6) has some benzene-like features with a significant contribution of two Kekulé-like structures to its VB wave function, an appreciable resonance energy, and a discernible diatropic ring current in planar geometry. However, relaxation of 6 to the optimal nonplanar chair conformation is accompanied by the onset of localization of the ring current.