The Induced Magnetic Field

Aromaticity is indispensable for explaining a variety of chemical behaviors, including reactivity, structural features, relative energetic stabilities, and spectroscopic properties. When interpreted as the spatial delocalization of π-electrons, it represents the driving force for the stabilization of many planar molecular structures. A delocalized electron system is sensitive to an external magnetic field; it responds with an induced magnetic field having a particularly long range. The shape of the induced magnetic field reflects the size and strength of the system of delocalized electrons and can have a large influence on neighboring molecules.In 2004, we proposed using the induced magnetic field as a means of estimating the degree of electron delocalization and aromaticity in planar as well as in nonplanar molecules. We have since tested the method on aromatic, antiaromatic, and nonaromatic compounds, and a refinement now allows the individual treatment of core-, σ-, and π-electrons.In this Account, we describe the use of the induced magnetic field as an analytical probe for electron delocalization and its application to a large series of uncommon molecules. The compounds include borazine; all-metal aromatic systems Al4n–; molecular stars Si5Lin6–n; electronically stabilized planar tetracoordinate carbon; planar hypercoordinate atoms inside boron wheels; and planar boron wheels with fluxional internal boron cluster moieties. In all cases, we have observed that planar structures show a high degree of electron delocalization in the π-electrons and, in some examples, also in the σ-framework.Quantitatively, the induced magnetic field has contributions from the entire electronic system of a molecule, but at long range the contributions arising from the delocalized electronic π-system dominate. The induced magnetic field can only indirectly be confirmed by experiment, for example, through intermolecular contributions to NMR chemical shifts. We show that calculating the induced field is a useful method for understanding any planar organic or inorganic system, as it corresponds to the intuitive Pople model for explaining the anomalous proton chemical shifts in aromatic molecules. Indeed, aromatic, antiaromatic, and nonaromatic molecules show differing responses to an external field; that is, they reduce, augment, or do not affect the external field at long range. The induced field can be dissected into different orbital contributions, in the same way that the nucleus-independent chemical shift or the shielding function can be separated into component contributions. The result is a versatile tool that is particularly useful in the analysis of planar, densely packed systems with strong orbital contributions directly atop individual atoms.