Project description:Protonolysis of [ZnH2 ]n with the conjugated Brønsted acid of the bidentate diamine TMEDA (N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethane-1,2-diamine) and TEEDA (N,N,N',N'-tetraethylethane-1,2-diamine) gave the zinc hydride cation [(L2 )ZnH]+ , isolable either as the mononuclear THF adduct [(L2 )ZnH(thf)]+ [BArF 4 ]- (L2 =TMEDA; BArF 4 - =[B(3,5-(CF3 )2 -C6 H3 )4 ]- ) or as the dimer [{(L2 )Zn)}2 (μ-H)2 ]2+ [BArF 4 ]- 2 (L2 =TEEDA). In contrast to [ZnH2 ]n , the cationic zinc hydrides are thermally stable and soluble in THF. [(L2 )ZnH]+ was also shown to form di- and trinuclear adducts of the elusive neutral [(L2 )ZnH2 ]. All hydride-containing cations readily inserted CO2 to give the corresponding formate complexes. [(TMEDA)ZnH]+ [BArF 4 ]- catalyzed the hydrosilylation of CO2 with tertiary hydrosilanes to give stepwise formoxy silane, methyl formate, and methoxy silane. The unexpected formation of methyl formate was shown to result from the zinc-catalyzed transesterification of methoxy silane with formoxy silane, which was eventually converted into methoxy silane as well.
Project description:The salt [K(18-crown-6)]2[Ru(CN)2(CO)3] ([K(18-crown-6)]2[1]) was generated by the reaction of Ru(C2H4)(CO)4 with [K(18-crown-6)]CN. An initial thermal reaction gives [Ru(CN)(CO)4]-, which, upon ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, reacts with a second equiv of CN-. Protonation of [1]2- gave [HRu(CN)2(CO)3]- ([H1]-), which was isolated as a single isomer with mutually trans cyanide ligands. The complex cis,cis,cis-[Ru(pdt)(CN)2(CO)2]2- ([2]2-) was prepared by the UV-induced reaction of [1]2- with propanedithiol (pdtH2). The corresponding iron complex cis,cis,cis-[Fe(pdt)(CN)2(CO)2]2- ([3]2-) was prepared similarly. The pdt complexes [2]2- and [3]2- were treated with Fe(benzylideneacetone)(CO)3 to give, respectively, [RuFe (μ-pdt)(CN)2(CO)4]2- ([5]2-) and [Fe2(μ-pdt)(CN)2(CO)4]2- ([4]2-). The pathway from [3]2- to Fe2 complex [4]2- implicates intermetallic migration of CN-. In contrast, the formation of [5]2- leaves the Ru(CN)2(CO) center intact, as confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The structure of [5]2- features a "rotated" square-pyramidal Fe(CO)2(μ-CO) site. NMR measurements indicate that the octahedral Ru site is stereochemically rigid, whereas the Fe site dynamically undergoes turnstile rotation. 57Fe Mössbauer spectral parameters are very similar for rotated [5]2- and unrotated Fe2 complex [4]2-, indicating the insensitivity of that technique to both the geometry and the oxidation state of the Fe site. According to cyclic voltammetry, [5]2- oxidizes at E1/2 ∼ -0.8 V vs Fc+/0. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements show that 1e- oxidation of [5]2- gives an S = 1/2 rhombic species, consistent with the formulation Ru(II)Fe(I), related to the Hox state of the [FeFe] hydrogenases. Density functional theory (DFT) studies reproduce the structure, 1H NMR shifts, and infrared (IR) spectra observed for [5]2-. Related homometallic complexes with both cyanides on a single metal are predicted to not adopt rotated structures. These data suggest that [5]2- is best described as Ru(II)Fe(0). This conclusion raises the possibility that for some reduced states of the [FeFe]-hydrogenases, the [2Fe]H site may be better described as Fe(II)Fe(0) than Fe(I)Fe(I).
Project description:Superatoms, clusters that mimic the properties of elements different to those of which they are composed, have the potential to serve as building blocks for unprecedented materials with tunable properties. The development of a method for the solution-phase synthesis of superatoms would be an indispensable achievement for the future progress of this research field. Here we report the fabrication of aluminum clusters in solution using a dendrimer template, producing Al13-, which is the most well-known superatom. The Al13- cluster is identified using mass spectrometry and scanning transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to measure the binding energies. The superatomic stability of Al13- is demonstrated by evaluating its tendency toward oxidation. In addition, the synthesis of Al13- in solution enables electrochemical measurements, the results of which suggest oxidation of Al13-. This solution-phase synthesis of Al13- superatoms has a significant role for the experimental development of cluster science.
Project description:After crystallization during ionothermal syntheses in phospho-nium-containing ionic liquids, the structure of (NH4)3Al2(PO4)3 [tri-ammonium dialuminum tris-(phosphate)] was refined on the basis of powder X-ray diffraction data from a synchrotron source. (NH4)3Al2(PO4)3 is a member of the structural family with formula A 3Al2(PO4)3, where A is a group 1 element, and of which the NH4, K, and Rb forms were previously known. The NH4 form is isostructural with the K form, and was previously solved from single-crystal X-ray data when the material (SIZ-2) crystallized from a choline-containing eutectic mixture [Cooper et al. (2004 ▸). Nature, 430, 1012-1017]. Our independent refinement incorporates NH4 groups and shows that these NH4 groups are hydrogen bonded to framework O atoms present in rings containing 12 T sites in a channel along the c-axis direction. We describe structural details of (NH4)3Al2(PO4)3 and discuss differences with respect to isostructural forms.
Project description:The molecular Pt nanocluster [Pt27(CO)31]4- (14-) was obtained by thermal decomposition of [Pt15(CO)30]2- in tetrahydrofuran under a H2 atmosphere. The reaction of 14- with increasing amounts of HBF4·Et2O afforded the previously reported [Pt26(CO)32]2- (32-) and [Pt26(CO)32]- (3-). The new nanocluster 14- was characterized by IR and UV-visible spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, direct-current superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, cyclic voltammetry, IR spectroelectrochemistry (IR SEC), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The cluster displays a cubic-close-packed Pt27 framework generated by the overlapping of four ABCA layers, composed of 3, 7, 11, and 6 atoms, respectively, that encapsulates a fully interstitial Pt4 tetrahedron. One Pt atom is missing within layer 3, and this defect (vacancy) generates local deformations within layers 2 and 3. These local deformations tend to repair the defect (missing atom) and increase the number of Pt-Pt bonding contacts, minimizing the total energy. The cluster 14- is perfectly diamagnetic and displays a rich electrochemical behavior. Indeed, six different oxidation states have been characterized by IR SEC, unraveling the series of 1n- (n = 3-8) isostructural nanoclusters. Computational studies have been carried out to further support the interpretation of the experimental data.
Project description:Aluminum nanoclusters (Aln NCs), particularly Al13- (n = 13), exhibit superatomic behavior with interplay between electron shell closure and geometrical packing in an anionic state. To fabricate superatom (SA) assemblies, substrates decorated with organic molecules can facilitate the optimization of cluster-surface interactions, because the molecularly local interactions for SAs govern the electronic properties via molecular complexation. In this study, Aln NCs are soft-landed on organic substrates pre-deposited with n-type fullerene (C60) and p-type hexa-tert-butyl-hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HB-HBC, C66H66), and the electronic states of Aln are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and chemical oxidative measurements. On the C60 substrate, Aln is fixed to be cationic but highly oxidative; however, on the HB-HBC substrate, they are stably fixed as anionic Aln- without any oxidations. The results reveal that the careful selection of organic molecules controls the design of assembled materials containing both Al13- and boron-doped B@Al12- SAs through optimizing the cluster-surface interactions.
Project description:[Ar'SnCo]2 (1, Ar' = C6H3-2,6{C6H3-2,6- iPr2}2), a rare metal-metal bonded cobalt-tin cluster with low-coordinate tin atoms, was prepared by the reaction of [K(thf)0.2][Co(1,5-cod)2] (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with [Ar'Sn(μ-Cl)]2. This reaction illustrates a promising synthetic strategy to access uncommon metal clusters. The structure of 1 features a rhomboidal Co2Sn2 core with strong metal-metal bonds between tin and cobalt and a weaker tin-tin interaction. Reaction of 1 with white phosphorus afforded [Ar'2Sn2Co2P4] (2), the first molecular cluster compound containing phosphorus, cobalt and tin.
Project description:The reactivity of [Rh7(CO)16]3- with SbCl3 has been deeply investigated with the aim of finding a new approach to prepare atomically precise metalloid clusters. In particular, by varying the stoichiometric ratios, the reaction atmosphere (carbon monoxide or nitrogen), the solvent, and by working at room temperature and low pressure, we were able to prepare two large carbonyl clusters of nanometer size, namely, [Rh20Sb3(CO)36]3- and [Rh21Sb2(CO)38]5-. A third large species composed of 28 metal atoms was isolated, but its exact formulation in terms of metal stoichiometry could not be incontrovertibly confirmed. We also adopted an alternative approach to synthesize nanoclusters, by decomposing the already known [Rh12Sb(CO)27]3- species with PPh3, willing to generate unsaturated fragments that could condense to larger species. This strategy resulted in the formation of the lower-nuclearity [Rh10Sb(CO)21PPh3]3- heteroleptic cluster instead. All three new compounds were characterized by IR spectroscopy, and their molecular structures were fully established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. These showed a distinct propensity for such clusters to adopt an icosahedral-based geometry. Their characterization was completed by ESI-MS and NMR studies. The electronic properties of the high-yield [Rh21Sb2(CO)38]5- cluster were studied through cyclic voltammetry and in situ infrared spectroelectrochemistry, and the obtained results indicate a multivalent nature.
Project description:The reaction of N-(2-pyridylmethyl)iminodiethanol (H2L, pmide), FeCl2·4H2O or AlCl3·6H2O with ErCl3·6H2O and p-Me-PhCO2H in the ratio of 2:1:1:4 in the presence of Et3N in MeOH and MeCN yielded compounds [Fe2Er2(μ3-OH)2(pmide)2(p-Me-PhCO2)6]·2MeCN (1) and [Al2Er2(μ3-OH)2(pmide)2(p-Me-PhCO2)6]·2MeCN (2). These two complexes are isostructural, possessing a planar butterfly motif with the ErIII ions in the wingtip positions. Both compounds show single molecule magnet (SMM) behavior. For the [Al2Er2] compound, the slow relaxation of the magnetization under zero applied direct current (dc) field does not show maxima, but the relaxation processes could be analyzed using an applied dc field of 1000 Oe. In-depth alternating current measurements under different dc fields on the [Fe2Er2] compound reveals that the Fe-Fe and Fe-Er interactions speed up the relaxation and decrease the energy barrier height of the SMM in comparison with the [Al2Er2] case.
Project description:The cluster [Co38As12(CO)50]4- was obtained by pyrolysis of [Co6As(CO)16]-. The metal cage features a closed-packed core inside a Co/As shell that progressively deforms from a cubic face-centered symmetry. The redox and acid-base reactivities were determined by cyclic voltammetry and spectrophotometric titrations. The calculated electron density revealed the shell-constrained distribution of the atomic charges, induced by the presence of arsenic.