Effect of charge and composition on the structural fluxionality and stability of nine atom tin-bismuth Zintl analogues

Synergistic studies of bismuth doped tin clusters combining photoelectron spectra with first principles theoretical investigations establish that highly charged Zintl ions, observed in the condensed phase, can be stabilized as isolated gas phase clusters through atomic substitution that preserves the overall electron count but reduces the net charge and thereby avoids instability because of coulomb repulsion. Mass spectrometry studies reveal that Sn(8)Bi(-), Sn(7)Bi(2)(-), and Sn(6)Bi(3)(-) exhibit higher abundances than neighboring species, and photoelectron spectroscopy show that all of these heteroatomic gas phase Zintl analogues (GPZAs) have high adiabatic electron detachment energies. Sn(6)Bi(3)(-) is found to be a particularly stable cluster, having a large highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the Sn(6)Bi(3)(-) cluster is isoelectronic with the well know Sn(9)(-4) Zintl ion; however, the fluxionality reported for Sn(9)(-4) is suppressed by substituting Sn atoms with Bi atoms. Thus, while the electronic stability of the clusters is dominated by electron count, the size and position of the atoms affects the dynamics of the cluster as well. Substitution with Bi enlarges the cage compared with Sn(9)(-4) making it favorable for endohedral doping, findings which suggest that these cages may find use for building blocks of cluster assembled materials.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic and X-ray structural characterization of R2Sn(IV)-oxydiacetate and -iminodiacetate complexes

Seven novel R2Sn(IV)-oxydiacetate (oda) and -iminodiacetate (ida) compounds of the form [R2Sn(oda)(H2O)]2 (R = Me, nBu, and Ph) (1-3), [(R2SnCl)2(oda)(H2O)2]n (R = Et, iBu, and tBu) (4-6), and [Me2Sn(ida)(MeOH)]2 (7) have been synthesized and characterized by IR, 1H, 13C, and 119Sn NMR (solution), solid-state 119Sn CPMAS NMR, and (119m)Sn M?ssbauer spectroscopy. The crystal structure of [Me2Sn(oda)(H2O)]2, 1, shows it to be dinuclear (centrosymmetric), with two seven-coordinated tin atoms, bridged by one arm of the carboxylate group from each oda. By contrast, the crystal structure of [(Et2SnCl)2(oda)(H2O)2]n, 4, comprises a zigzag polymeric assembly containing a pair of different alternating subunits, {Et2SnCl(H2O)} and {Et2SnCl(H2O)(oda)}, which are connected by way of bridging oda carboxylates, thus giving seven-coordinate tin centers in both components. Finally, the structure of [Me2Sn(ida)(MeOH)]2, 7, also centrosymmetric dinuclear, is comprised of a pair of mononuclear units with seven-coordinate tin. The 119Sn solid-state CPMAS NMR and (119m)Sn Mossbauer suggest the presence of seven-coordinate Sn metal atoms in some derivatives and the existence of two different tin sites in the [(R2SnCl)2(oda)(H2O)2]n compounds.     

Naked clusters of 56 tin atoms in the solid state

Isolated, gigantic tin clusters of 56 atoms are discovered in the ternary compound Ba(16)Na(204)Sn(310) (cubic, F(-)43m, Z = 1, a = 25.2041(8) A) made by direct fusion of the elements at 800 degrees C. The cluster, made of four face-fused pentagonal dodecahedra, has 36 pentagonal faces and 90 edges, and resembles a concave fullerene "dented" at four places. It is made of three- and four-bonded tin atoms and is "stuffed" with four barium cations, [Ba(4)@Sn(56)](36-). This is the largest main group naked cluster in the solid state besides the fullerenes. Also occurring in the structure are two other isolated clusters of tin, Sn(16-n) (n = 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4) and Sn(8).     

Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of a series of lanthanide thiostannates(IV): the first examples of inorganic-organic hybrid cationic lanthanide thiostannates(IV)

A series of new lanthanide thiostannates(IV), [Y(2)(dien)(4)(μ-OH)(2)]Sn(2)S(6) (1, dien = diethyl-enetriamine), (tetaH)(2)[Ln(2)(teta)(2)(tren)(2)(μ-Sn(2)S(6))]Sn(2)S(6) [Ln = Eu (2), Sm (3); teta = triethylenetetramine; tren = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine] and [Eu(2)(tepa)(2)(μ-OH)(2)(μ-Sn(2)S(6))](tepa)(0.5)·H(2)O (4, tepa = tetraethylene-pentamine) were solvothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. 1 consists of a binuclear [Y(2)(dien)(4)(μ(2)-OH)(2)](4+) cation and a discrete dimeric [Sn(2)S(6)](4-) anion. Both 2 and 3 are isostructural and composed of [Ln(2)(teta)(2)(tren)(2)(μ-Sn(2)S(6))](2+) cations, protonated triethylenetetramines (tetaH), and discrete dimeric [Sn(2)S(6)](4-) anions. A Sn(2)S(6)(4-) anion bridges two [Ln(teta)(tren)](3+) cations via the trans-S(t) (t = terminal) atoms to form the first examples of inorganic-organic hybrid thiostannate cations [Ln(2)(teta)(2)(tren)(2)(μ-Sn(2)S(6))](2+). 4 consists of one-dimensional (1-D) neutral chains [Eu(2)(tepa)(2)(μ-OH)(2)(μ-Sn(2)S(6))](n) built up from the linkage of dinuclear complex cations [Eu(2)(tepa)(2)(μ(2)-OH)(2)](4+) and bridging anions [Sn(2)S(6)](4-), free tepa molecules, and lattice water molecules. The present compounds exhibit wide-band gap semiconducting properties with absorption band edges between 2.40 and 2.91 eV.     

Stable copper-tin cluster compositions from high-temperature annealing

Copper-doped tin clusters can be thermally annealed to much more stable compositions with a substantially higher copper/tin ratio. The annealed clusters are only prominent over a narrow range of compositions: CuSn(10-15)+, Cu2Sn(12-18)+, Cu3Sn(15-21)+, Cu4Sn(18-(24)+, and Cu5Sn(21-(27)+. These compositions are close to those found for W(m)Si(n)+ clusters, raising the possibility that the Cu(m)Sn(n)+ clusters have core-shell geometries like those proposed for the W(m)Si(n)+ clusters. Increasing the number of copper atoms causes a change in the dissociation pattern from the fission processes that are characteristic of semiconductor clusters to the expulsion of individual atoms, which usually occurs for metal clusters. The change in the fragmentation pattern may result because the clusters rich in copper melt before they dissociate, while the pure tin clusters dissociate directly from a solidlike phase.     

Electronic stabilization of trigonal bipyramidal clusters: the role of the Sn(II) ions in [Pt5(CO)5{Cl2Sn(μ-OR)SnCl2}3]3- (R = H, Me, Et, iPr)

The new [Pt(5)(CO)(5){Cl(2)Sn(μ-OR)SnCl(2)}(3)](3-) (R = H, Me, Et, (i)Pr; 1-4) clusters contain trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) Pt(5)(CO)(5) cores, as certified by the X-ray structures of [Na(CH(3)CN)(5)][NBu(4)](2)[1]·2CH(3)CN and [PPh(4)](3)[4]·3CH(3)COCH(3). The TBP geometry, which is rare for group 10 metals, is supported by an unprecedented interpenetration with a nonbonded trigonal prism of tin atoms. By capping all the Pt(3) faces, the Sn(II) lone pairs account for both Sn-Pt and Pt-Pt bonding, as indicated by DFT and topological wave function studies. In the TBP interactions, the metals use their vacant s and p orbitals using the electrons provided by Sn atoms, hence mimicking the electronic picture of main group analogues, which obey the Wade's rule. Other metal TBP clusters with the same total electron count (TEC) of 72 are different because the skeletal bonding is largely contributed by d-d interactions (e.g., [Os(5)(CO)(14)(PR(3))(μ-H)(n)](n-2), n = 0, 1, 2). In 1-4, fully occupied d shells at the Pt(ax) atoms exert a residual nucleophilicity toward the adjacent main group Sn(II) ions permitting their hypervalency through unsual metal donation.     

Self-assembly of diorganotin(IV) moieties and 2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid: syntheses, characterizations and crystal structures of monomeric, polymeric or trinuclear macrocyclic compounds

A series of diorganotin(IV) compounds of the type [R(2)Sn(pca)Cl](3)(R = CH(3); (n)Bu; C(6)H(5); C(6)H(5)CH(2); Hpca = 2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid), R(2)Sn(pca)(2)(mH(2)O)xnH(2)O (m= 1: R = CH(3), n= 2, R =(n)Bu, n= 0; m= 0, n= 0: R =(n)Bu, C(6)H(5), C(6)H(5)CH(2)) and (Et(3)NH)(+)[R(2)Sn(pca)(2)Cl](-)xmH(2)O (m= 0: R = CH(3), (n)Bu, C(6)H(5)CH(2); m= 1: R = C(6)H(5)) have been obtained by reactions of 2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid with diorganotin(iv) dichloride in the presence of sodium ethoxide or triethylamine. All compounds were characterized by elemental, IR and NMR spectra analyses. Except for compounds, and, the others were also characterized by X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses, which revealed that compounds and were trinuclear macrocyclic structures with six-coordinate tin(IV) atoms, compounds and were monomeric structures with seven-coordinate tin(IV) atoms, compounds and were polymeric chain structures with seven-coordinate tin(IV) atoms and compounds and were stannate with seven-coordinate tin(IV) atoms.     

Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Benzyltin（Ⅳ） Derivatives of 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole

Introduction Metal thiolato complexes have been extensively investigated because of their ability to adopt various nuclearities and their relevance in biological science, since they form the inorganic part of the biologically active centers of some metalloproteins and enzymes.1-3 Recently, attention has been paid to the coordination chemistry of heterocyclic thiol/thione donors, which can give potential access to new compounds with unusual structures and reactivities,4 such as 2-mercaptobenzo-…     

Experimental and theoretical studies on carbon-nitrogen clusters C2nN7-

C(2n)N7(-) cluster ions are produced by laser ablating on the K(3)[Fe(CN)6] sample. DFT calculations have been performed for these cluster anions. Various isomeric structures of these clusters are optimized and their energies are compared to find the most stable isomers. The most stable structure for C8N7(-) is similar to that of adenine by theoretical calculation, which is in agreement with the collision-induced dissociation (CID) experimental results. With the increasing even numbers of C atoms from 8 to 16, the N atoms in the double-ring structure are gradually substituted by C atoms from the six-membered ring to the five-membered ring. All these C(2n)N7(-) (n = 3-9) clusters exhibit planar aromatic characters. The energy difference and incremental binding energy analyses show that C(2n)N7(-) (n = 4-8) clusters are more stable than C6N7(-) and C18N7(-), which are consistent with the observed mass spectrum.     

Molybdophosphonate clusters as building blocks in the oxomolybdate-organodiphosphonate/cobalt(II)-organoimine system: structural influences of secondary metal coordination preferences and diphosphonate tether lengths

Hydrothermal conditions have been used in the preparation of a series of organic-inorganic hybrid materials of the cobalt-molybdophosphonate family. The reactions of MoO(3), cobalt(II) acetate or cobalt(II) acetylacetonate, tetra-2-pyridylpyrazine (tpyprz), and organodiphosphonic acids H(2)O(3)P(CH(2))nPO(3)H(2) (n = 1-5 and 9) of varying tether lengths yielded compounds of the general type {Co(2)(tpyprz)(H(2)O)(m)}4+/MoxOy{O(3)P(CH(2))(n)PO(3)}z. The recurring theme of the structural chemistry is the incorporation of {Mo(5)O(15)(O(3)PR)(2)}(4-) clusters as molecular building blocks observed in the structures of nine phases (compounds 2-9 and 11). The structural consequences of variations in reaction conditions are most apparent in the series with propylene diphosphonate, where four unique structures 4-7 are observed, including two distinct three-dimensional architectures for compounds 5 and 6 whose formulations differ only in the number of water molecules of crystallization. With pentyldiphosphonate, a second phase 10 is obtained which exhibits a unique cluster building block, the hexamolybdate [Mo(6)O(18){O(3)P(CH(2))(5)PO(3)}](4-). In the case of methylenediphosphonic acid, a third structural motif, the trinuclear {(Mo(3)O(8))(O(3)PCH(2)PO(3))}2- subunit, is observed in compound 1. The structural chemistry of compounds 1-11 of this study is quite distinct from that of the {Ni(2)(tpyprz)(H(2)O)(m)}(4+)/Mo(x)O(y){O(3)P(CH(2))(n)PO(3)}z family, as well as that of the copper-based family. The structural diversity of this general class of materials reflects the coordination preferences of the M(II) sites, the extent of aqua ligation to the M(II) sites, the participation of both phosphate oxygen atoms and molybdate oxo-groups in linking to the M(II) sites, and the variability in the number of attachment sites at the molybdophosphonate clusters. Since the charge densities at the peripheral oxygen atoms of the clusters are quite uniform, the attachment of {M(2)(tpyprz)}(4+) subunits to the molybdophosphonates appears to be largely determined by steric, coulombic, and packing factors, as shown by extensive density functional theory calculations.     

Synthesis of mixed tin-ruthenium and tin-germanium-ruthenium carbonyl clusters from [Ru3(CO)12] and diaminometalenes (M = Sn, Ge)

Diaminostannylenes react with [Ru(3)(CO)(12)] without cluster fragmentation to give carbonyl substitution products regardless of the steric demand of the diaminostannylene reagent. Thus, the Sn(3)Ru(3) clusters [Ru(3){μ-Sn(NCH(2)(t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(4)}(3)(CO)(9)] (4) and [Ru(3){μ-Sn(HMDS)(2)}(3)(CO)(9)] (6) [HMDS = N(SiMe(3))(2)] have been prepared in good yields by treating [Ru(3)(CO)(12)] with an excess of the cyclic 1,3-bis(neo-pentyl)-2-stannabenzimidazol-2-ylidene and the acyclic and bulkier Sn(HMDS)(2), respectively, in toluene at 110 °C. The use of smaller amounts of Sn(HMDS)(2) (Sn/Ru(3) ratio = 2.5) in toluene at 80 °C afforded the Sn(2)Ru(3) derivative [Ru(3){μ-Sn(HMDS)(2)}(2)(μ-CO)(CO)(9)] (5). Compounds 5 and 6 represent the first structurally characterized diaminostannylene-ruthenium complexes. While a further treatment of 5 with Ge(HMDS)(2) led to a mixture of uncharacterized compounds, a similar treatment with the sterically alleviated diaminogermylene Ge(NCH(2)(t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(4) provided [Ru(3){μ-Sn(HMDS)(2)}(2){μ-Ge(NCH(2)(t)Bu)(2)C(6)H(4)}(CO)(9)] (7), which is a unique example of Sn(2)GeRu(3) cluster. All these reactions, coupled to a previous observation that [Ru(3)(CO)(12)] reacts with excess of Ge(HMDS)(2) to give the mononuclear complex [Ru{Ge(HMDS)(2)}(2)(CO)(3)] but triruthenium products with less bulky diaminogermylenes, indicate that, for reactions of [Ru(3)(CO)(12)] with diaminometalenes, both the volume of the diaminometalene and the size of its donor atom (Ge or Sn) are of key importance in determining the nuclearity of the final products.     

Theoretical and experimental analysis of ammonia ionic clusters produced by 252Cf fragment impact on an NH3 ice target

Positive and negatively charged ammonia clusters produced by the impact of (252)Cf fission fragments (FF) on an NH(3) ice target have been examined theoretical and experimentally. The ammonia clusters generated by (252)Cf FF show an exponential dependence of the cluster population on its mass, and the desorption yields for the positive (NH(3))(n)NH(4)(+) clusters are 1 order of magnitude higher than those for the negative (NH(3))(n)NH(2)(-) clusters. The experimental population analysis of (NH(3))(n)NH(4)(+) (n = 0-18) and (NH(3))(n)NH(2)(-) (n = 0-8) cluster series show a special stability at n = 4 and 16 and n = 2, 4, and 6, respectively. DFT/B3LYP calculations of the (NH(3))(0)(-)(8)NH(4)(+) clusters show that the structures of the more stable conformers follow a clear pattern: each additional NH(3) group makes a new hydrogen bond with one of the hydrogen atoms of an NH(3) unit already bound to the NH(4)(+) core. For the (NH(3))(0)(-)(8)NH(2)(-) clusters, the DFT/B3LYP calculations show that, within the calculation error, the more stable conformers follow a clear pattern for n = 1-6: each additional NH(3) group makes a new hydrogen bond to the NH(2)(-) core. For n = 7 and 8, the additional NH(3) groups bind to other NH(3) groups, probably because of the saturation of the NH(2)(-) core. Similar results were obtained at the MP2 level of calculation. A stability analysis was performed using the commonly defined stability function E(n)(-)(1) + E(n)(+1) - 2E(n), where E is the total energy of the cluster, including the zero point correction energy (E = E(t) + ZPE). The trend on the relative stability of the clusters presents an excellent agreement with the distribution of experimental cluster abundances. Moreover, the stability analysis predicts that the (NH(3))(4)NH(4)(+) and the even negative clusters [(NH(3))(n)NH(2)(-), n = 2, 4, and 6] should be the most stable ones, in perfect agreement with the experimental results.     

Endohedral nickel and palladium atoms in metal clusters: analogy to endohedral noble gas atoms in fullerenes in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry

Nickel and palladium atoms with their closed-shell d(10) electronic configurations are encapsulated in the icosahedral clusters [Ni@Ni(10)E(2)(CO)(18)](4-)(E = Sb, Bi, Sb[rightward arrow]Ni(CO)(3), CH(3)Sn and n-C(4)H(9)Sn) and the geometrically related pentagonal antiprismatic cluster Pd@Bi(10)(4+) found in Bi(14)PdBr(16). Such endohedral d(10) atoms in pentagonal antiprismatic clusters are donors of zero skeletal electrons and interact only weakly with the atoms in the surrounding polyhedron so that they may be regarded as analogous to endohedral noble gases in fullerenes such as He@C(60). On the other hand, endohedral nickel and palladium atoms in 10- and 11-vertex flattened deltahedral bare metal clusters of group 13 metals without five-fold symmetry, such as Ni@E(10)(10-) found in Na(10)NiE(10)(E = Ga, In) and Pd@Tl(11)(7-) found in A(8)Tl(11)Pd (A = Cs, Rb, K), interact significantly with the cluster atoms, particularly those at the flattened vertices of the deltahedron. The role of endohedral d(10) atoms Ni and Pd in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry as "pseudo-noble-gases" can be related to their positions at the "composite divide" of the "Metallurgists' Periodic Table" proposed by H. E. N. Stone on the basis of alloy systematics as well as the equivalence of the five d orbitals in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry.     

Crystal structures of Sr4Sn2Se9 and Sr4Sn2Se10 and the oxidation state of tin in an unusual geometry

The new ternary selenostannates Sr(4)Sn(2)Se(9) and Sr(4)Sn(2)Se(10) have been synthesized by heating the elements at 1023 K in an argon atmosphere. Their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray methods. Sr(4)Sn(2)Se(9) crystallizes in a new structure type (Pbam, a = 12.042(2) A, b = 16.252(3) A, c = 8.686(2) A, Z = 4) with Sn(2)Se(6)(4-), SnSe(4)(4-), and Se(2)(2-) subunits. Sr(4)Sn(2)Se(10) (P2(1)2(1)2, a = 12.028(2) A, b = 16.541(3) A, c = 8.611(2) A, Z = 4) has a similar structure with Se(3)(2-) triangles instead of Se(2)(2-) dumbbells. Strontium is 8-fold-coordinated by selenium in both cases. The opening angles between tin and the terminal selenium atoms in the Sn(2)Se(6) subunits are close to 160 degrees , which is nearer a typical Sn(2+) coordination geometry than classical SnSe(4) tetrahedra. This result suggests the tin oxidation state in the Sn(2)Se(6) units to be lower than the expected Sn(4+). This question is examined by self-consistent LMTO and LAPW band structure calculations expanded by the Bader analysis of the charge density to assign reliable atomic charges.     

ZnS bubble clusters with onion-like structures

Following recent studies which showed that the most stable structures for (ZnS)(n) clusters (n= 10-47) are the so-called "bubble clusters", in which all the atoms are three-coordinated, we have used simulated annealing techniques to find the most stable structure for a larger cluster, (ZnS)(60). We find an onion-like structure, with one small cluster enclosed inside a bigger one. The inner cluster has the structure of a sodalite cage. Bonding between the inner and the outer clusters creates a network of four-coordinated atoms.     

Different effects of a cotemplate and [(transition-metal)(1,10-phenanthroline)(m)]2+ (m = 1-3) complex cations on the self-assembly of a series of hybrid selenidostannates showing combined optical properties of organic and inorganic components

1,10-Phenanthroline (phen) and monoprotonated methylamine molecules were used as a novel cotemplate to direct the formation of a new inorganic-organic hybrid selenidostannate, (CH(3)NH(3))(4)(Sn(2)Se(6))·6phen (1); while the utilization of three types of transition-metal (TM) phen complex cations with the TM/phen ration of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 as structure directors affords {[Mn(phen)(2)](2)(μ(2)-Sn(2)Se(6))}·H(2)O (2a), {[Fe(phen)(2)](2)(μ(2)-Sn(2)Se(6))} (2b), {[Mn(phen)](2)(μ(4)-Sn(2)Se(6))}(n) (3), {[Mn(phen)(2)](Sn(2)Se(5))}(n) (4), and [Fe(phen)(3)](n)(Sn(3)Se(7))(n)·1.25nH(2)O (5). These compounds show diverse structures with the selenidostannate anions varying from discrete, μ(2)- and μ(4)- (Sn(2)Se(6))(4-) anions, to one-dimensional (1-D) (1)(∞)(Sn(2)Se(5)(2-)) anionic chains, and two-dimensional (2-D) extended (2)(∞)(Sn(3)Se(7)(2-)) anionic layers, demonstrating different structure-directing abilities of the cotemplate and the three types of TM phen complex cations. This work clearly indicates that the approach of modifying the number of the free coordination sites of unsaturated TM phen complex cations is very exciting as a way to synthesize novel hybrid chalcogenidometalates. Of particular interest, the present compounds exhibit interesting optical properties that reflect the combined effects of both photoluminescence-active organic components and semiconducting inorganic chalcogenidometalate anionic networks.     

Ab initio study of lithiathion of the Si4(-) cluster

The potential energy surfaces of the Li(n)Si(4)(-) (n = 0-5) clusters were explored using the Kick Coalescence method. We found that, for those systems with n ≤ 2, the butterfly and parallelogram Si(4)(2-) kernels prevail as building blocks; however, when n ≥ 3, the Si(4)(4-) tetrahedral kernel, which is commonly found in heavier alkali monosilicides, MSi (M = Na, K, Rb, Cs), arises as the prevailing building block. In addition, by a natural population analysis (NPA) we found that the maximum charge transfer -4 from Li atoms to Si atoms is attained when n = 3. The addition of more Li atoms to the Si(4)(4-) system does not increase the charge transfer, but keeps it almost constant at the maximum value. We also calculated theoretical vertical electron detachment energies (VDEs) for low-lying isomers of the Li(n)Si(4)(-) (n = 0-4) clusters in order to facilitate their experimental identification.     

Reactivity of titanium oxo ethoxo cluster [Ti16O16(OEt)32]. Versatile precursor of nanobuilding block-based hybrid materials

Oxo alcoxo metallic clusters can be employed as inorganic nanobuilding blocks to obtain well-defined organic-inorganic hybrid materials. A better understanding of the surface reactivity of the clusters should allow optimization of the elaboration of hybrid materials through a better control of the hybrid interface. The oxo alcoxo cluster Ti(16)O(16)(OEt)32 presents a shell of labile ethoxy groups that can be selectively transalcoholyzed with preservation of the titanium oxo core, leading to new oxo alcoxo clusters Ti(16)O(16)(OEt)32-x(OR)x (R: alkyl, phenyl, styrenic, etc. groups). The reactivity of the Ti(16)O(16)(OEt)32 cluster toward aliphatic and aromatic alcohols is investigated to determine both the kinetics and the number of substituted titanium atoms, which are strongly dependent on the nature of the alcohol. Characterization of the organic modification of the cluster is performed in situ by liquid (13)C NMR measurements, using the molecular structures of two new clusters, Ti(16)O(16)(OEt)28(OnPr)4 and Ti(16)O(16)(OEt)(24)(OnPr)(8) (OnPr = propoxy groups), as references. The structures of these clusters have been established using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Moreover, a complete spectroscopic assignment of each ethoxy group is proposed after combining crystallographic data, (13)C NMR T(1) relaxation measurements, and (1)H-(1)H, (1)H-(13)C 2D NMR experiments. Finally, the cluster is functionalized with polymerizable ligands via transalcoholysis and transesterification reactions using hydroxystyrene and acetoxystyrene.     

Heavy-metal aromatic and conjugated species: rings, oligomers, and chains of tin in Li(9)(-)(x)EuSn(6+)(x), Li(9)(-)(x)CaSn(6+)(x), Li(5)Ca(7)Sn(11), Li(6)Eu(5)Sn(9), LiMgEu(2)Sn(3), and LiMgSr(2)Sn(3)

The title compounds were synthesized from the elements by heating the corresponding mixtures at high temperature. Their structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Li(9)(-)(x)()EuSn(6+)(x)(), Li(9)(-)(x)()CaSn(6+)(x)(), Li(5)Ca(7)Sn(11), and Li(6)Eu(5)Sn(9) contain columns of stacked aromatic pentagons of Sn(5)(6)(-) that are analogous to the cyclopentadienyl anion C(5)H(5)(-). The pentagons are separated with Ca(2+) or Eu(2+) in the columns and resemble a polymeric metallocene. In addition to the columns, the isostructural Li(9)(-)(x)()EuSn(6+)(x)() and Li(9)(-)(x)()CaSn(6+)(x)() contain isolated tin atoms and bent tin trimers while Li(5)Ca(7)Sn(11) and Li(6)Eu(5)Sn(9) contain flat zigzag hexamers and flat zigzag infinite chains of tin, respectively. The isostructural LiMgEu(2)Sn(3) and LiMgSr(2)Sn(3) do not contain columns of pentagons but only flat zigzag infinite chains of tin. The aromaticity of the pentagons and the conjugation of the pi-systems of the hexamers and the infinite chains are discussed. The title compounds are also characterized by magnetic and conductivity measurements.     

Comparison of the growth patterns of Si(n) and Ge(n) clusters (n = 25-33)

We performed an unbiased search for low-energy structures of medium-sized neutral Si n and Ge n clusters ( n = 25-33) using a genetic algorithm (GA) coupled with tight-binding interatomic potentials. Structural candidates obtained from our GA search were further optimized by first-principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT). Our approach reproduces well the lowest-energy structures of Si n and Ge n clusters of n = 25-29 compared to previous studies, showing the accuracy and reliability of our approach. In the present study, we pay more attention to determine low-lying isomers of Si n and Ge n ( n = 29-33) and study the growth patterns of these clusters. The B3LYP calculations suggest that the growth pattern of Si n ( n = 25-33) clusters undergoes a transition from prolate to cage at n = 31, while this transition appears at n = 26 from the PBE-calculated results. In the size range of 25-33, the corresponding Ge n clusters hold the prolate growth pattern. The relative stabilities and different structural motifs of Si n and Ge n ( n = 25-33) clusters were studied, and the changes of small cluster structures, when acting as building blocks of large clusters, were also discussed.