The Influence of Secondary Interactions on the [N-I-N]+ Halogen Bond

[Bis(pyridine)iodine(I)](+) complexes offer controlled access to halonium ions under mild conditions. The reactivity of such stabilized halonium ions is primarily determined by their three-center, four-electron [N-I-N](+) halogen bond. We studied the importance of chelation, strain, steric hindrance and electrostatic interaction for the structure and reactivity of halogen bonded halonium ions by acquiring their N-15 NMR coordination shifts and measuring their iodenium release rates, and interpreted the data with the support of DFT computations. A bidentate ligand stabilizes the [N-I-N](+) halogen bond, decreasing the halenium transfer rate. Strain weakens the bond and accordingly increases the release rate. Remote modifications in the backbone do not influence the stability as long as the effect is entirely steric. Incorporating an electron-rich moiety close by the [N-I-N](+) motif increases the iodenium release rate. The analysis of the iodine(I) transfer mechanism highlights the impact of secondary interactions, and may provide a handle on the induction of stereoselectivity in electrophilic halogenations.