In:
Nature Communications, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 11, No. 1 ( 2020-10-12)
Abstract:
The access to molecules comprising direct Zn–Zn bonds has become very topical in recent years for various reasons. Low-valent organozinc compounds show remarkable reactivities, and larger Zn–Zn-bonded gas-phase species exhibit a very unusual coexistence of insulating and metallic properties. However, as Zn atoms do not show a high tendency to form clusters in condensed phases, synthetic approaches for generating purely inorganic metalloid Zn x units under ambient conditions have been lacking so far. Here we show that the reaction of a highly reductive solid with the nominal composition K 5 Ga 2 Bi 4 with ZnPh 2 at room temperature yields the heterometallic cluster anion [K 2 Zn 20 Bi 16 ] 6– . A 24-atom polymetallide ring embeds a metalloid {Zn 12 } unit. Density functional theory calculations reveal multicenter bonding, an essentially zero-valent situation in the cluster center, and weak aromaticity. The heterometallic character, the notable electron-delocalization, and the uncommon nano-architecture points at a high potential for nano-heterocatalysis.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2041-1723
DOI:
10.1038/s41467-020-18799-6
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2020
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2553671-0
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