Dimerization (chemistry)
A dimer (/ˈdaɪmər/) (, "two" + , "parts") is an oligomer consisting of two structurally similar monomers joined by bonds that can be either strong or weak, covalent or intermolecular. The term homodimer is used when the two molecules are identical (e.g. A-A) and heterodimer when they are not (e.g. A-B). The reverse of dimerisation is often called dissociation. When two oppositely charged ions associate into dimers, they are referred to as Bjerrum pairs .
Carboxylic acids form dimers by hydrogen bonding of the acidic hydrogen and the carbonyl oxygen when anhydrous. For example, acetic acid forms a dimer in the gas phase, where the monomer units are held together by hydrogen bonds. Under special conditions, most OH-containing molecules form dimers, e.g. the water dimer.
Borane ("BH3") occurs as the dimer diborane (B2H6), due to the high Lewis acidity of the boron center.
Excimers and exciplexes are excited structures with a short lifetime. For example, noble gases do not form stable dimers, but do form the excimers Ar2*, Kr2* and Xe2* under high pressure and electrical stimulation.
Molecular dimers are often formed by the reaction of two identical compounds e.g.: 2A → A-A. In this example, monomer "A" is said to dimerise to give the dimer "A-A". An example is a diaminocarbene, which dimerise to give a tetraaminoethylene:
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