Formation and Reactivity of Organo‐Functionalized Tin Selenide Clusters

Reactions of R¹SnCl₃ (R¹=CMe₂CH₂C(O)Me) with (SiMe₃)₂Se yield a series of organo‐functionalized tin selenide clusters, [(SnR¹)₂SeCl₄] ( 1 ), [(SnR¹)₂Se₂Cl₂] ( 2 ), [(SnR¹)₃Se₄Cl] ( 3 ), and [(SnR¹)₄Se₆] ( 4 ), depending on the solvent and ratio of the reactants used. NMR experiments clearly suggest a stepwise formation of 1 through 4 by subsequent condensation steps with the concomitant release of Me₃SiCl. Furthermore, addition of hydrazines to the keto‐functionalized clusters leads to the formation of hydrazone derivatives, [(Sn₂(μ‐R³)(μ‐Se)Cl₄] ( 5 , R³=[CMe₂CH₂CMe(NH)]₂), [(SnR²)₃Se₄Cl] ( 6 , R²=CMe₂CH₂C(NNH₂)Me), [(SnR⁴)₃Se₄][SnCl₃] ( 7 , R⁴=CMe₂CH₂C(NNHPh)Me), [(SnR²)₄Se₆] ( 8 ), and [(SnR⁴)₄Se₆] ( 9 ). Upon treatment of 4 with [Cu(PPh₃)₃Cl] and excess (SiMe₃)₂Se, the cluster fragments to form [(R¹Sn)₂Se₂(CuPPh₃)₂Se₂] ( 10 ), the first discrete Sn/Se/Cu cluster compound reported in the literature. The derivatization reactions indicate fundamental differences between organotin sulfide and organotin selenide chemistry.     

[Nb@Ge13/14]3−: New Family Members of Ge-Based Intermetalloid Clusters

During the past two decades, single-atom-centered medium-sized germanium clusters [M@Ge_n] (M=transition metals, n>12) have been extensively explored, both from theoretical perspectives and experimental gas-phase syntheses. However, the actual structural arrangements of the Ge₁₃ and Ge₁₄ endohedral cages are still ambiguous and have long remained an unresolved problem for experimental implementation. In this work, we successfully synthesize 13-/14-vertex Ge clusters [Nb@Ge₁₃]³⁻ ( 1 ) and [Nb@Ge₁₄]³⁻ ( 2 ), which are structurally characterized and exhibit unprecedented topologies, neither classical deltahedra nor 3-connected polyhedral structures. Theoretical analysis indicates that the major stabilization of the Ge backbones arises due to the substantial interaction of Ge 4p-AOs with the endohedral Nb 4d-AOs through three/four-center two-electron bonds with an enhanced electron density accumulated over the shortest Nb−Ge13 contact in 1 . Low occupancies of the direct two-center two-electron (2c–2e) Nb−Ge and Ge−Ge σ bonds point to a considerable degree of electron delocalization over the Ge cages revealing their electron deficiency.     

Stochastic method to control Mycobacterium tuberculosis epidemic

We study the origin of TB (tuberculosis) epidemic and complex distributions of various populations of TB infection within the stochastic framework. The stochastic nature of this disease infection could be linked to the stochastic behaviour at genome level which is exhibited in SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) distributions of experimentally identified hotspot driver genes. Our results show the emergence of random clusters, and well-defined discrete domains of the respective species populations in the model driven by demographic stochasticity and intrinsic complex species interaction. The multifractal analysis of the time series of the species populations indicate that TB epidemic could be mainly caused by contact communication and is directional. We propose that any TB epidemic may have high chance of approximately periodic recurrence and can be controlled by optimizing some of the parameters involved in the system modelling.     

Molecular Encapsulation of Trimeric Chromium Carboxylate Clusters in Metal–Organic Frameworks and Propylene Sorption

Oxo-bridged trimeric chromium acetate clusters [Cr₃O(OOCCH₃)₆(H₂O)₃]NO₃ have been encapsulated for the first time in the mesoporous cages of the chromium terephthalate MIL-101(Cr). The isolated clusters in MIL-101(Cr) have increased affinity towards propylene compared to propane, due to generation of a new kind of pocket-based propylene-binding site, as supported by DFT calculations.     

Synthesis,characterization, and some electrocatalytic properties of heteromultinuclear FeI/RuII Clusters

A series of new heteromultinuclear Fe^I/Ru^II clusters are described. The complexes (η⁶-arene)RuFe₂S₂(CO)₆ (arene = p-cymene 1 , C₆Me₆ 2 ) and Fe₂[μ-S (Cp*Ru)(CO)₂]₂(CO)₆ (Cp* = η⁵-C₅Me₅) ( 3 ) were prepared by the reduction reactions of (μ-S)₂Fe₂(CO)₆ with 2 equiv of LiHBEt₃, followed by treatment (μ-SLi)₂Fe₂(CO)₆ with ruthenium-arene complexes Ru₂(μ-Cl)₂Cl₂(η⁶-arene)₂ or Cp*Ru (CO)₂Cl in 22–33% yields. Further reactions of 1 and 2 with 1 equiv of triphenylphosphine in the presence of the decarbonylating agent Me₃NO·2H₂O, afforded the corresponding monophosphine-substituted Fe^I/Ru^II complexes (η⁶-arene)RuFe₂S₂(CO)₅(Ph₃P) (arene = p-cymene 4 , C₆Me₆ 5 ) in 75% and 78% yields. While treatment of parent complex 1 or 2 with 1 equiv of diphosphine Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂ (dppm) in xylene at reflux temperature resulted in the formation of the diphosphine-bridged RuFe₂S₂(CO)₉ derivate RuFe₂S₂(CO)₇(dppm) ( 6 ). The possible pathway for the formation was proposed. Two isomers of novel macrocyclic complexes involve the (η⁶-arene) Ru-bridged quadruple-butterfly Fe/S clusters [{μ-S (CH₂)₃S-μ}{(μ-CS₂)Fe₂(CO)₆}₂]₂[(η⁶-arene)Ru]₂ (arene = p-cymene 7a and 7b , C₆Me₆ 8a and 8b ) were isolated by reactions of two μ-CS₂-containing dianion [{μ-S (CH₂)₃S-μ}{(μ-S=CS)Fe₂(CO)₆}₂]²⁻ with [Ru₂(μ-Cl)₂Cl₂(η⁶-arene)₂], in which the propylene groups are attached to two S atoms by ee and ea types of bonds respectively. All the new complexes 1 – 8 have been characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopy, and particularly for 1 – 6 , 7b and 8a by X-ray crystallography. In addition, the electrochemical properties of representative complexes 1 – 4 and 6 have been investigated.     

Bonding and Acidity of the Formal Hydride in the Prototypical Au9(PPh3)8H2+ Nanocluster

The role of hydrogen atoms as surface ligands on metal nanoclusters is of profound importance but remains difficult to directly study. While hydrogen atoms often appear to be incorporated formally as hydrides, evidence suggests that they donate electrons to the cluster's delocalized superatomic orbitals and may consequently behave as acidic protons that play key roles in synthetic or catalytic mechanisms. Here we directly test this assertion for the prototypical Au₉(PPh₃)₈H²⁺ nanocluster, formed by addition of a hydride to the well-characterized Au₉(PPh₃)₈³⁺. Using gas-phase infrared spectroscopy, we were able to unambiguously isolate Au₉(PPh₃)₈H²⁺ and Au₉(PPh₃)₈D²⁺, revealing an Au−H stretching mode at 1528 cm⁻¹ that shifts to 1038 cm⁻¹ upon deuteration. This shift is greater than the maximum expected for a typical harmonic potential, suggesting a potential governing cluster-H bonding that has some square-well character consistent with the hydrogen nucleus behaving as a metal atom in the cluster core. Complexing this cluster with very weak bases reveals a redshift of 37 cm⁻¹ in the Au−H vibration, consistent with those typically seen for moderately acidic groups in gas phase molecules and providing an estimate of the acidity of Au₉(PPh₃)₈H²⁺, at least with regard to its surface reactivity.     

羧酸桥联的四核镧系簇合物的磁热效应和慢磁弛豫

在水热条件下,通过使用羧酸和螯合配体得到了一个系列的四核镧系簇合物,即[Ln₄(mnba)₁₂(tzp)₂(H₂O)₂](Ln=Gd(1),Tb(2),Er(3);Hmnba=间硝基苯甲酸;tzp=2-(1H-1,2,4-三唑-3-基)吡啶))。这3个化合物是同构的,且具有线性的四核簇结构。磁性研究表明,化合物1和3中簇内镧系离子之间是弱铁磁耦合的,但化合物2中铽离子之间是弱的反铁磁相互作用和(或)铽离子激发的斯塔克能级的去布居。化合物1具有较大的磁热效应(-ΔS_m^max=20.6 J·kg^-1·k^-1)。交流磁化率测试表明化合物3展现出频率和温度依赖的虚部信号,这是慢磁弛豫的典型特征,原因是铒离子的强各向异性和铁磁耦合的存在。