ChemInform Abstract: Aromatic Metal‐Centered Monocyclic Boron Rings: Co@B‐8 and Ru@B‐9.

Co@B^‐₈, Ru@B^‐₉, Co@B₈, and Ru@B₉ clusters are characterized by photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT calculations.     

PrB7−: A Praseodymium‐Doped Boron Cluster with a PrII Center Coordinated by a Doubly Aromatic Planar η7‐B73− Ligand

The structure and bonding of a Pr‐doped boron cluster (PrB₇⁻) are investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. The adiabatic electron detachment energy of PrB₇⁻ is found to be low [1.47(8) eV]. A large energy gap is observed between the first and second detachment features, indicating a highly stable neutral PrB₇. Global minimum searches and comparison between experiment and theory show that PrB₇⁻ has a half‐sandwich structure with C_6v symmetry. Chemical bonding analyses show that PrB₇⁻ can be viewed as a Pr^II[η⁷‐B₇³⁻] complex with three unpaired electrons, corresponding to a Pr (4f²6s¹) open‐shell configuration. Upon detachment of the 6s electron, the neutral PrB₇ cluster is a highly stable Pr^III[η⁷‐B₇³⁻] complex with Pr in its favorite +3 oxidation state. The B₇³⁻ ligand is found to be highly stable and doubly aromatic with six delocalized π and six delocalized σ electrons and should exist for a series of lanthanide M^III[η⁷‐B₇³⁻] complexes.     

Boron(III) Carbazosubphthalocyanines: Core‐Expanded Antiaromatic Boron(III) Subphthalocyanine Analogues

Condensation of 1,8‐diamino‐3,6‐dichlorocarbazole with a series of disubstituted 1,3‐diiminoisoindolines, followed by treatment with BF₃?OEt₂ led to the formation of the corresponding core‐expanded boron(III) subphthalocyanine analogues. These air‐stable π‐conjugated boron(III) carbazosubphthalocyanines possess two boron‐containing seven‐membered‐ring units and a 16 π‐electron skeleton, and represent the first examples of antiaromatic boron(III) subphthalocyanine analogues as supported by spectroscopic and theoretical studies. The molecular structure of one of these compounds was unambiguously determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. In contrast to typical boron(III) subphthalocyanines, which adopt a cone‐shaped structure, the π skeleton of this compound is almost planar.     

Four‐Shell Polyoxometalates Featuring High‐Nuclearity Ln26 Clusters: Structural Transformations of Nanoclusters into Frameworks Triggered by Transition‐Metal Ions

A series of polyoxometalates (POMs) that incorporate the highest‐nuclearity Ln clusters that have been observed in such structures to date (Ln₂₆ , Ln=La and Ce) are described, which exhibit giant multishell configurations (Ln⊂W₆⊂Ln₂₆⊂W₁₀₀). Their structures are remarkably different from known giant POMs that feature multiple Ln ions. In particular, the incorporated Ln–O clusters with a nuclearity of 26 are significantly larger than known high‐nuclearity (≤10) Ln–O clusters in POM chemistry. Furthermore, they also contain the largest number of La and Ce centers for any POM reported to date and represent a new kind of rare giant POMs with more than 100 W atoms. Interestingly, the La₂₆‐containing POM can undergo a single‐crystal to single‐crystal structural transformation in the presence of various transition‐metal ions, such as Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, and Ni²⁺, from an inorganic molecular nanocluster into an inorganic–organic hybrid extended framework that is built from POM building blocks with even higher‐nuclearity La₂₈ clusters bridged by transition‐metal complexes.