Two New Carbaalanes: Compounds with an Al(7)C(5) and a

Area of Science:

• Organometallic chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Materials science

Background:

• Aluminum ethynides are precursors for novel cluster compounds.
• Carbometallic clusters offer unique structural and electronic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the hydroalumination of aluminum ethynides.
• To synthesize and characterize new aluminum-carbon cluster compounds (carbaalanes).

Main Methods:

• Hydroalumination reactions of aluminum ethynides.
• X-ray crystallography for structural determination.
• Electronic structure analysis.

Main Results:

• Formation of a new class of compounds: carbaalanes.
• Synthesis of two novel carbaalanes with Al(7)C(5) and Al(7)C(4) clusters.
• The Al(7)C(4) cluster is structurally analogous to closo-[B(11)H(11)](2-), exhibiting similar electron counts.

Conclusions:

• Hydroalumination is a viable route to carbaalanes.
• Carbaalanes represent a new frontier in cluster chemistry.
• The Al(7)C(4) cluster provides insights into boron hydride analogues.