Beyond the Icosahedron: The Quest for High-Nuclearity Supraicosahedral Metallaboranes

The recent achievements and progress in the field of high-nuclearity supraicosahedral metallaborane chemistry are reviewed and compared to those made in borane, carborane and metallacarborane chemistry. In contrast to metallacarboranes, characterized large supraicosahedral metallaboranes only adopt isocloso deltahedral structural arrangements with n vertices and a non-Wadean n skeletal-electron-pair count. This anomaly can be rationalized by the preference of metal atoms for 6-connect vertices present in the cluster cages.     

DFT calculations of quadrupolar solid-state NMR properties: Some examples in solid-state inorganic chemistry

This article presents results of first-principles calculations of quadrupolar parameters measured by solid-state nuclear magnetic measurement (NMR) spectroscopy. Different computational methods based on density functional theory were used to calculate the quadrupolar parameters. Through a series of illustrations from different areas of solid state inorganic chemistry, it is shown how quadrupolar solid-state NMR properties can be tackled by a theoretical approach and can yield structural information.     

Can undoped calcium tetraborides exist? An answer from the comparison of its density functional theory electronic structure with that of rare-earth metal tetraboride

Periodic density functional theory calculations are used to discuss the existence of metal tetraborides MB4 with divalent metals. Tetraborides which contain metal atoms inserted in a three-dimensional boron network made of B6 octahedra and B2 dumbbells exhibit a pseudo energy gap for a count of 60 valence electrons per M4(B6)2(B2)2 formula unit. Such a count satisfies the stability electron requirement for B6(2-) (20 electrons) octahedra and B2(2-) (8 electrons) units and allows the filling of two supplementary low-lying bands deriving from the valence metallic d atomic orbitals. This favored electron count is not reached for CaB4 which is then formally deficient by one electron per metal atom. This indicates that CaB4 is unlikely to exist without n-doping.     

Translocation-coupled transmetalation at the origin of a dinuclear lead porphyrin complex: implication of a hanging-atop coordination mode

Translocation of a lead cation from the N-core of a porphyrin to a hanging carboxylate group is coupled to a transmetalation process with a second lead cation, leading to a dinuclear species. A novel hanging-atop coordination mode is responsible for the dynamic and stereocontrolled binding of lead to the porphyrin core.     

A novel layered niobium oxychloride compound based on Nb2 pairs and Nb6 octahedral clusters: synthesis and crystal and electronic structures of Nb10Cl16O7

The synthesis, single crystal structure determination, and electronic structure of Nb10Cl16O7, the first Nb6 oxychloride stabilized without countercation, are reported in this work. The crystal structure is very original since it consists of layers built up from both Nb6 octahedral clusters and Nb2 pairs. The Nb6Oi6Cli6Cla6 and Nb2(mu2-Cl)2Cl4O4 units form [Nb6Cli6Oi4O(i-i)(2/2)Cl(a-a)(4/2)Cla2]infinity infinite chains and [(Nb2(mu2-Cl)2O(2/2)Cl(4/2)O2)2]infinity double chains, respectively, that are interconnected by shared oxygen and chlorine ligands leading to layers. The cohesion of the three-dimensional structure (3D) is ensured by van der Waals contacts between layers that are randomly stacked along the [011] direction. Structural correlations between Nb10Cl16O7 and related Nb6 cluster oxyhalides, as well as NbOCl2 and NbCl4 containing Nb2 pairs, are discussed. DFT results show that among the 20 valence electrons involved in the metal-metal bonding states, 14 electrons belong to the octahedral Nb6Cli6Oi6Cla6 unit whereas the 6 others (i.e., 1.5 per Nb atom) participate in the bonding in the distorted [(Nb2(mu2-Cl)2O(2/2)Cl(4/2)O2)2]infinity double chains.     

Synthesis and characterization of hypoelectronic rhenaboranes. Analysis of the geometric and electronic structures of species following neither borane nor metal cluster electron-counting paradigms

The reaction of (CpReH(2))(2)B(4)H(4) with monoborane leads to the sequential formation of (CpRe)(2)B(n)()H(n)() (n = 7-10, 1-4). These species adopt closed deltahedra with the same total connectivities as the closo-borane anions [B(n)()H(n)()](2)(-), n = 9-12, but with flattened geometries rather than spherical shapes. These rhenaborane clusters are characterized by high metal coordination numbers, Re-Re cross-cluster distances within the Re-Re single bond range, and formal cluster electron counts three skeletal electron pairs short of that required for a canonical closo-structure of the same nuclearity. An open cluster, (CpReH)(2)B(7)H(9) (5), is isolated that bears the same structural relationship to arachno-B(9)H(15) as 1-4 bear to the closo-borane anions. Chloroborane permits the isolation of (CpReH)(2)B(5)Cl(5) (6), an isoelectronic chloro-analogue of known open (CpWH(2))(2)B(5)H(5) and (CpRe)(2)B(6)H(4)Cl(2) (7), a triple-decker complex containing a planar, six-membered 1,2-B(6)H(4)Cl(2) ring. Both are putative five- and six-boron intermediates in the formation of 1. Electronic structure calculations (extended Hückel and density functional theory) yield geometries in agreement with the structure determinations, large HOMO-LUMO gaps in accord with the high stabilities, and (11)B chemical shifts accurately reflecting the observed shifts. Analyses of the bonding in 1-4 reveal that the CpRe.CpRe interaction generates fragment orbitals that are able to contribute the "missing" three skeletal electron pairs required for skeletal bonding. The necessity of a Re.Re interaction for strong cluster bonding requires a borane fragment shape change to accommodate it, thereby explaining the noncanonical geometries. Application of the debor principle of borane chemistry to the shapes of 1-4 readily rationalizes the observed geometries of 5 and 6. This evidence of the scope of transition metal fragment control of borane geometry suggests the existence of a large class of metallaboranes with structures not found in known borane or metal clusters.