Correlation of electrostatic potentials and electron accepting properties of fluorinated cubanes

The recent results on fluorinated cubanes showed good electron accepting abilities of octafluorocubane. Here we did the calculation of electrostatic potentials for cubane and its fluorinated derivatives. Maps of the electrostatic potential of fluorinated cubanes show regions, in the cores of the molecules, with significant positive potential (34.5 to 45.5 kcal/mol), which is in accordance with experimentally observed electron accepting abilities of the fluorinated cubanes. The increasing number of fluorine on the cubane increases positive potentials in the core of the molecule. Maps of electrostatic potentials can also explain structural motifs in crystals of fluorinated cubanes.