Cluster Fusion: Face-Fused Nine-Atom Deltahedral Clusters in [Sn14 Ni(CO)](4.)

The title anion was synthesized by heating dimethylformamide (DMF) solution of the known Ni-centered and Ni(CO)-capped tin clusters [Ni@Sn9 Ni(CO)](3-) . The new anion represents the first example of face-fused nine-atom molecular clusters. The two clusters are identical elongated tricapped trigonal prisms of nido-[Sn8 Ni(CO)](6-) with nickel at one of the capping positions. They are fused along a triangular face adjacent to a trigonal prismatic base and made of two Sn and one Ni atoms. The new anion is structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the compound (K[222-crypt])4 [Sn14 Ni(CO)]⋅DMF. Its presence in solution is corroborated by electrospray mass spectrometry.