DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200088

Stand up for Electrostatics: The Disiloxane Case

Molecular Electrostatic Potential is used to explain why Lewis basicity in disiloxane increases when the Si−O−Si angle is reduced. Arguments based on atomic charges seem to contradict the observed trends and could (wrongly) make one think that electrostatic considerations fail to provide a proper understanding of this system. However, the present study shows that this is not the case and highlights once again the importance of electrostatics and polarization in the description of noncovalent interactions.