Cerium(IV) Hexanuclear Clusters from Cerium(III) Precursors: Molecular Models for Oxidative Growth of Ceria Nanoparticles

Reactions of cerium(III) nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₃?6 H₂O, with different carboxylic acids, such as pivalic acid, benzoic acid, and 4‐methoxybenzoic acid, in the presence of a tridentate N,N,N‐donor ligand, diethylenetriamine (L¹), under aerobic conditions yielded the corresponding cerium hexamers Ce₆O₈(O₂CtBu)₈(L¹)₄ ( 1 ), Ce₆O₈(O₂CC₆H₅)₈(L¹)₄ ( 2 ), and Ce₆O₈(O₂CC₆H₄‐4‐OCH₃)₈(L¹)₄ ( 3 ). Hexamers 1 , 2 , and 3 contain the same octahedral Ce^IV₆O₈ core, in which all interstitial oxygen atoms are connected by μ₃‐oxo bridging ligands. In contrast, treatment of the Ce^IV precursor (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆ (CAN) with pivalic acid and the ligand L¹ under the same conditions afforded Ce₆O₄(OH)₄(O₂CtBu)₁₂(L¹)₂ ( 4 ), exhibiting a deformed octahedral Ce^IV₆O₄(OH)₄ core containing μ₃‐oxo and μ₃‐hydroxo moieties in defined positions. In contrast to the formation of 1 – 3 , the use of N‐methyldiethanolamine (L) in the reaction with Ce(NO₃)₃?6 H₂O and pivalic acid afforded a previously reported Ce^III dinuclear cluster, Ce₂(O₂CtBu)₆L₂, even in the presence of dioxygen. ESI‐MS analysis of the reaction mixture clearly indicated the importance of the ligand L¹ in promoting oxidation of the Ce^III aggregates, Ce_n(O₂CtBu)_3n(L¹)₂], which is necessary for the formation of Ce^IV hexamers.