Synthesen,Eigenschaften und Kristallstrukturen der Cluster‐Salze Bi6[PtBi6Cl12] und Bi2/3[PtBi6Cl12]

Syntheses, Properties and Crystal Structures of the Cluster Salts Bi₆[PtBi₆Cl₁₂] and Bi_2/3[PtBi₆Cl₁₂] Melting reactions of Bi with Pt and BiCl₃ yield shiny black, air insensitive crystals of the subchlorides Bi₆[PtBi₆Cl₁₂] and Bi_2/3[PtBi₆Cl₁₂]. Despite the substantial difference in the bismuth content the two compounds have almost the same pseudo‐cubic unit cell and follow the structural principle of a CsCl type cluster salt. Bi₆[PtBi₆Cl₁₂] consists of cuboctahedral [PtBi₆Cl₁₂]^2? clusters and Bi₆²⁺ polycations (a = 9.052(2) Å, α = 89.88(2)°, space group P 1, multiple twins). In the electron precise cluster anion, the Pt atom (18 electron count) centers an octahedron of Bi atoms whose edges are bridged by chlorine atoms. The Bi₆²⁺ cation, a nido cluster with 16 skeletal electrons, has the shape of a distorted octahedron with an opened edge. In Bi_2/3[PtBi₆Cl₁₂] the anion charge is compensated by weakly coordinating Bi³⁺ cations which are distributed statistically over two crystallographic positions (a = 9.048(2) Å, α = 90.44(3)°, space group ). Bi₆[PtBi₆Cl₁₂] is a semiconductor with a band gap of about 0.1 eV. The compound is diamagnetic at room temperature though a small paramagnetic contribution appears towards lower temperature.