LAUSR

MRCI-SD/def2-QZVP and PBE0/def2-QZVP calculations have been employed for the analysis of geometries, stabilities, and bonding of isomers of the 18-electron anions N2S2−, NS2−, and NSO−. Isomers of the isoelectronic neutral molecules SO2, S2O, S3, and O3 are included for comparison. The sulfur-centered acyclic NSN2−, NSS−, and NSO− anions are the most stable isomers of their respective molecular compositions. However, the nitrogen-centered isomers SNS− and SNO− lie close enough in energy to their more stable counterparts to allow their occurrence. The experimental structural information, where available, is in good agreement with the optimized bond parameters. The bonding in all investigated species is qualitatively similar, though electron density analyses reveal important quantitative differences that arise from bond polarization. Most of the investigated systems can be described with a single configuration wave function, the two notable exceptions being isomers SSS and OOO that show some diradical chara...