Selected Publications
The Chemical Bond: When Atom Size Instead of Electronegativity Difference Determines Trends in Bond Strength
E. Blokker, X. Sun, J. Poater, J. M. van der Schuur, T. A. Hamlin, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 15616-15622 (Cover)
Origin of the a-Effect in SN2 Reactions
T. Hansen, P. Vermeeren, F. Matthias Bickelhaupt, T. A. Hamlin
Angew. Chem. 2021, 133, 21008-21016 ; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 20840-20848
Not Carbon s–p Hybridization, but Coordination Number Determines C–H and C–C Bond Length
P. Vermeeren, W.-J. van Zeist, T. A. Hamlin, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 7074-7079 (Cover, Highlighted in C2W Magazine)
How Metallylene Catalysts Activate Small Molecules
P. Vermeeren, M. T. Doppert, F. M. Bickelhaupt, T. A. Hamlin
Chem. Sci. 2021, 12, 4526-4536
Bifunctional Hydrogen Bond Donor-Catalyzed Diels-Alder Reactions: Origin of Selectivity and Rate Enhancement
P. Vermeeren, T. A. Hamlin, F. M. Bickelhaupt, I. Fernandez
Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 5180-5190 (Cover, Hot Paper)
How Oriented External Electric Fields Modulate Reactivity S. Yu, P. Vermeeren, T. A. Hamlin, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2021, 27, 5683-5693 (Cover)
Bismuth Amides (Re-)Investigated: Mediators of Facile and Highly Selective Pn–Pn Radical Coupling Reactions (Pn = N, P, As)
K. Oberdorf, A. Hanft, J. Ramler, I. Krummenacher, F. M. Bickelhaupt, J. Poater, C. Lichtenberg
Angew. Chem. 2021, 133; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 6441-6445
Nature and Strength of Lewis Acid/Base Interaction in Boron and Nitrogen Trihalides
D. Rodrigues Silva, L. de Azevedo Santos, M. Puggina de Freitas, C. Fonseca Guerra, T. A. Hamlin
Chem. Asian. J. 2020, 15, 4043-4054 (VIP and Cover)
A Unified Framework for Understanding Nucleophilicity and Protophilicity in the SN2/E2 Competition
P. Vermeeren, T. Hansen, P. Jansen, M. Swart, T. A. Hamlin, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2020, 26, 15538-15548 (Cover, issue #1000)
The Nature of Nonclassical Carbonyl Ligands Explained by Kohn-Sham Molecular Orbital Theory S. C. C. van der Lubbe, P. Vermeeren, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2020, 26, 15690-15699 (issue #1000)
Origin of Rate Enhancement and Asynchronicity in Iminium Catalyzed Diels-Alder Reactions
P. Vermeeren, T. A. Hamlin, I. Fernandez, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Sci. 2020, 11, 8105-8112 (Cover)
Mechanism of Biomolecular Recognition of Trimethyllysine by the Fluorinated Aromatic Cage of Epigenetic Reader Proteins
B. J. G. E. Pieters, M. H. M. Wuts, J. Poater, K. Kumar, P. B. White, J. J. A. G. Kamps, W. Sherman, G. J. M. Pruijn, R. S. Paton, T. Beuming, F. M. Bickelhaupt, J. Mecinovic
Commun. Chem. 2020, 3, 69/1-12
Probing Halogen–π versus CH–π Interactions in Molecular Balance
J. Jian, J. Poater, P. B. White, C. J. McKenzie, F. M. Bickelhaupt, J. Mecinovic
Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 7870-7873
Computationally Guided Molecular Design to Minimize the LE/CT Gap in D-π-A Fluorinated Triarylboranes for Efficient TADF via D and π-Bridge Tuning
A. Narsaria, F. Rauch, J. Krebs, P. Endres, A. Friedrich, I. Krummenacher, H. Braunschweig, M. Finze, J. Nitsch, F. M. Bickelhaupt, T. B. Marder
Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 2002064/1-15
How Lewis Acids Catalyze Diels-Alder Reactions
P. Vermeeren, T. A. Hamlin, I. Fernandez, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Angew. Chem. 2020, 132, 6260-6265; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 6201-6206
Understanding Chemical Reactivity Using the Activation Strain Model
P. Vermeeren, S. C. C. van der Lubbe, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt, T. A. Hamlin
Nature Protoc. 2020, 15, 649-667
Distortion-Controlled Red-Shift of Organic Dye Molecules
A. K. Narsaria, J. Poater, C. Fonseca Guerra, A. W. Ehlers, T. A. Hamlin, K. Lammertsma, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2020, 26, 2080-2093
Ambident Nucleophilic Substitution: Understanding Non-HSAB Behavior through Activation Strain and Conceptual DFT Analyses
T. Bettens, M. Alonso, F. De Proft, T. A. Hamlin, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2020, 26, 3884-3893
How Dihalogens Catalyze Michael Addition Reactions
T. A. Hamlin, I. Fernandez, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Angew. Chem. 2019, 131, 9015-9020; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 8922-8926 (Highlighted in Chemistry World: “Quantum mechanical mechanism behind 100-year-old textbook reaction revealed”)
Secondary Electrostatic Interaction Model Revised: Prediction Comes Mainly from Measuring Charge Accumulation in Hydrogen-Bonded Monomers
S. C. C. van der Lubbe, F. Zaccaria, X. Sun, C. Fonseca Guerra
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 4878-4885 (Cover)
Dual Activation of Aromatic Diels-Alder Reactions
A. K. Narsaria, T. A. Hamlin, K. Lammertsma, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 9902-9912 (Cover & Hot Paper)
Structural Distortion of Cycloalkynes Influences Cycloaddition Rates both by Strain and Interaction Energies
T. A. Hamlin, B. J. Levandowski, A. K. Narsaria, K. N. Houk, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 6342-6348 (Cover)
Understanding the Differences Between Iron and Palladium in Cross-Coupling Reactions
X. Sun, M. V. J. Rocha, T. A. Hamlin, J. Poater, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2019, 21, 9651-9664 (Cover)
Facile Insertion of Carbon Monoxide into a Bismuth–Nitrogen Bond
J. Ramler, J. Poater, F. Hirsch, B. Ritschel, I. Fischer, F. M. Bickelhaupt, C. Lichtenberg
Chem. Sci. 2019, 10, 4169-4176
The Nature of Hydrogen Bonds: A Delineation of the Role of Different Energy Components on Hydrogen Bond Strengths and Lengths
S. C. C. van der Lubbe, C. Fonseca Guerra
Chem. Asian J. 2019, 14, 2760-2769 (Cover)
Cation Affinities throughout The Periodic Table
Z. Boughlala, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt
In: Advances in Inorganic Chemistry; R. van Eldik, R. Puchta, Eds.; Academic Press: San Diego, 2019, Vol. 73, Chapter 6, pp. 123-158 (Thematic volume devoted to ‘Computational Chemistry’)
Arylic C–X Bond Activation by Palladium Catalysts: Activation-Strain Analyses of Reactivity Trends
P. Vermeeren, X. Sun, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Scientific Reports 2018, 8, 10729/1-10
RNA vs DNA G-Quadruplex: The Origin of Increased Stability
F. Zaccaria, C. Fonseca Guerra
Chem. Eur. J. 2018, 24, 16315-16322 (Cover)
How Mg2+ Ions Lower the SN2@P Barrier in Enzymatic Triphosphate Hydrolysis
M. A. van Bochove, G. Roos, C. Fonseca Guerra, T. A. Hamlin, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Commun. 2018, 54, 3448-3451 (Cover)
Nucleophilic Substitution in Solution: Activation Strain Analysis of Weak and Strong Solvent Effects
T. A. Hamlin, B. van Beek, L. P. Wolters, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2018, 24, 5927-5938
Relevance of Orbital Interactions and Pauli Repulsion in the Metal-Metal Bond of Coinage Metals
M. B. Brands, J. Nitsch, C. Fonseca Guerra
Inorg. Chem. 2018, 57, 2603-2608
Double CH Activation of a Masked Cationic Bismuth Amide
B. Ritschel, J. Poater, H. Dengel, F. M. Bickelhaupt, C. Lichtenberg
Angew. Chem. 2018, 130, 3887-3891; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 3825-3829
Analyzing Reaction Rates with the Distortion/Interaction-Activation Strain Model
F. M. Bickelhaupt, K. N. Houk
Angew. Chem. 2017, 129, 10204-10221 (Frontispiece & Cover); Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10070-10086 (Frontispiece & Cover)
8-Coordinate Fluoride in a Silicate Double-4-Ring
M. G. Goesten, R. Hoffmann, F. M. Bickelhaupt, E. J. M. Hensen
Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 2017, 114, 828-833 (highlighted in: Science 2017, 355, 592-593)
Hydrogen bond strength of CC and GG pairs is determined by steric repulsion: electrostatics and charge transfer overruled
S. C. C. van der Lubbe, C. Fonseca Guerra
Chem. Eur. J. 2017, 23, 10249-10253 (Hot paper, Cover and Cover Profile)
Cesium’s Off-the-map Valence Orbital
M. G. Goesten, M. Rahm, F. M. Bickelhaupt, E. J. M. Hensen
Angew. Chem. 2017, 129, 9904-9908; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 9772-9776
Glucose-Nucleobase Pseudo Base Pairs: Biomolecular Interactions within DNA
E. Vengut-Climent, I. Gomez-Pinto, R. Lucas, P. Penalver, A. Avino, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt, R. Eritja, C. Gonzalez, J. C. Morales
Angew. Chem. 2016, 128, 8785-8789; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 8643-8647
Six-coordinate Group-13 Complexes: Role of d Orbitals and Electron-Rich Multi-center Bonding
M. G. Goesten, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. Kapteijn, J. Gascon, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 12034-12038 (VIP and Cover)
Chemical Basis for the Recognition of Trimethyllysine by Epigenetic Reader Proteins
J. J. A. G. Kamps, J. Huang, J. Poater, C. Xu, B. J. G. E. Pieters, A. Dong, J. Min, W. Sherman, T. Beuming, F. M. Bickelhaupt, H. Li, J. Mecinovic
Nature Commun. 2015, 6, 8911/1-12
Role of Steric Attraction and Bite-Angle Flexibility in Metal-Mediated C–H Bond Activation
L. P. Wolters, R. Koekkoek, F. M. Bickelhaupt
ACS Catalysis 2015, 5, 5766-5775
Bite-Angle Bending as a Key for Understanding Group-10 Metal Reactivity of d10-[M(NHC)2] Complexes with Sterically Modest NHC Ligands
F. Hering, J. Nitsch, U. Paul, A. Steffen, F. M. Bickelhaupt, U. Radius
The Activation Strain Model & Molecular Orbital Theory
L. P. Wolters, F. M. Bickelhaupt
WIRES Comput. Mol. Sci. 2015, 5, 324-343
Highly Accelerated Inverse Electron-Demand Cycloaddition of Electron-Deficient Azides with Aliphatic Cyclooctynes
J. Dommerholt, O. van Rooijen, A. Borrmann, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt, F. L. van Delft
Nature Commun. 2014, 5, 5378/1-7
d Regime, s Regime and Intrinsic Bite-Angle Flexibility: New Concepts for Designing d10-MLn Catalysts
L. P. Wolters, W. J. van Zeist, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2014, 20, 11370-11381 (Cover)
Activation Strain Model and Molecular Orbital Theory: Understanding and Designing Chemical Reactions of Chemical Reactivity
I. Fernandez, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Soc. Rev. 2014, 43, 4953-4967
Stereodivergent SN2@P Reactions of Borane Oxazaphospholidines: Experimental and Theoretical Studies
H. Zijlstra, T. Leon, A. de Cozar, C. Fonseca Guerra, D. Byrom, A. Riera, X. Verdaguer, F. M. Bickelhaupt
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 4483-4491
Normal-to-Abnormal Rearrangement and NHC Activation in Three-Coordinate Iron(II) Carbene Complexes
B. M. Day, T. Pugh, D. Hendriks, C. Fonseca Guerra, D. J. Evans, F. M. Bickelhaupt, R. A. Layfield
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 13338-13341
Selectivity in DNA Replication. Interplay of Steric Shape, Hydrogen Bonds, π-Stacking and Solvent Effects
J. Poater, M. Swart, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 7326-7328
Telomere Structure and Stability: Covalency in Hydrogen Bonds, Not Resonance Assistance, Causes Cooperativity in Guanine Quartets
C. Fonseca Guerra, H. Zijlstra, G. Paragi, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 12612-12622
Catalyst Selection based on Intermediate Stability measured by Mass Spectrometry
J. Wassenaar, E. Jansen, W.-J. van Zeist, F. M. Bickelhaupt, M. A. Siegler, A. L. Spek, J. N. H. Reek
Nature Chem. 2010, 2, 417-421 (News of the Week in C&EN 2010, April 5, p. 7)
Hypervalent Carbon Atom. "Freezing" the SN2 Transition State
S. C. A. H. Pierrefixe, C. Fonseca Guerra, B. van Stralen, J. N. P. van Stralen, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Angew. Chem. 2009, 121, 6591-6593; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 6469-6471
A Ditopic Ion-Pair Receptor Based on Stacked Nucleobase Quartets
T. van der Wijst, C. Fonseca Guerra, M. Swart, F. M. Bickelhaupt, B. Lippert
Angew. Chem. 2009, 121, 3335-3337; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009, 48, 3285-3287
QUILD: QUantum-regions Interconnected by Local Descriptions
M. Swart, F. M. Bickelhaupt
J. Comput. Chem. 2008, 29, 724-734
Aromaticity. Molecular Orbital Picture of an Intuitive Concept
S. C. A. H. Pierrefixe, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Chem. Eur. J. 2007, 13, 6321-6328
Nucleophilic Substitution at Phosphorus (SN2@P): Disappearance and Reappearance of Reaction Barriers
M. A. van Bochove, M. Swart, F. M. Bickelhaupt
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 10738-10744
α-Stabilization of Carbanions: Fluorine Stabilizes more Effectively than the Heavier Halogens
F. M. Bickelhaupt, H. L. Hermann, G. Boche
Angew. Chem. 2006, 118, 838-841; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 823-826
Hydrogen Bonds of RNA are Stronger than Those of DNA, But NMR Monitors Only Presence of Methyl Substituent in Uracil/Thymine
M. Swart, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 16718-16719
Voronoi Deformation Density (VDD) charges. Assessment of the Mulliken, Bader, Hirshfeld, Weinhold and VDD methods for Charge Analysis
C. Fonseca Guerra, J.-W. Handgraaf, E. J. Baerends, F. M. Bickelhaupt
J. Comput. Chem. 2004, 25, 189-210
C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt ––– "Orbital Interactions in Strong and Weak Hydrogen Bonds Essential for DNA Replication" –––Angew. Chem. 2002, 114, 2194-2197; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2002, 41, 2092-2095
The Short N-F Bond in N2F+ and How Pauli Repulsion Influences Bond Lengths. Theoretical Study of N2X+, NF3X+ and NH3X+ (X = F, H)
F. M. Bickelhaupt, R. L. DeKock, E. J. Baerends
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 1500-1505
Chemistry with ADF
G. te Velde, F. M. Bickelhaupt, E. J. Baerends, C. Fonseca Guerra, S. J. A. van Gisbergen, J. G. Snijders, T. Ziegler
J. Comput. Chem. 2001, 22, 931-967
Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory: Predicting and Understanding Chemistry
F. M. Bickelhaupt, E. J. Baerends
Charge Transfer and Environment Effects Responsible for Characteristics of DNA Base Pairing
C. Fonseca Guerra, F. M. Bickelhaupt
Angew. Chem. 1999, 111, 3120-3122; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1999, 38, 2942-2945
Understanding Reactivity with Kohn-Sham MO Theory. The E2-SN2 Mechanistic Spectrum and other Concepts
F. M. Bickelhaupt