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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups
Published on: February 11, 2012
A niobium-necked cluster [As3Nb(As3Sn3)](3-) with aromatic Sn3(2-)
Fu-Xing Pan1, Cong-Qiao Xu, Lei-Jiao Li
1State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China. szm@ciac.ac.cn.
A novel ternary cluster compound, [As3Nb(As3Sn3)](3-), was synthesized featuring a niobium atom bonded to arsenic and tin ligands. This unique structure exhibits sigma-aromaticity in its tin component, offering new insights into Zintl phase chemistry.
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Solid-State Chemistry
Background:
- Zintl phases are intermetallic compounds with complex structures.
- Understanding the bonding and stability of novel cluster compounds is crucial for materials discovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a new ternary cluster compound containing niobium, arsenic, and tin.
- To investigate the structural, bonding, and electronic properties of the novel cluster.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of the ternary cluster compound [As3Nb(As3Sn3)](3-) from K8NbSnAs5.
- Crystallization using [2.2.2]crypt in ethylenediamine and toluene.
- Characterization through X-ray crystallography and extensive bonding analyses.
- Electronic structure calculations to confirm oxidation states and bonding interactions.
Main Results:
- A novel flower-vase shaped ternary cluster compound, [As3Nb(As3Sn3)](3-), was successfully synthesized and characterized.
- The compound features a niobium(v) atom coordinated by an As3(3-) triangle and a bowl-type As3Sn3(5-) ligand.
- The As3Sn3(5-) ligand exhibits sigma-aromaticity due to a delocalized Sn-Sn-Sn sigma bond.
- Electronic structure calculations confirmed the Nb(v) oxidation state and revealed weak Nb-Sn and Sn-Sn bonding alongside normal Nb-As and As-As bonds.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized cluster represents a new structure type distinct from known Zintl phases.
- The study elucidates the stability and bonding characteristics of the novel cluster compound.
- The findings contribute to the understanding of polyanionic ligands and sigma-aromaticity in inorganic cluster compounds.
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