Lead-rich carboxylate-substituted titanium-lead oxo clusters

Area of Science:

• Materials Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Coordination Chemistry

Background:

• Mixed-metal oxo clusters are versatile materials with diverse applications.
• Previous research has focused on clusters with varying metal ratios and structures.
• Understanding the structural motifs and metal arrangements in these clusters is crucial for property tuning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel carboxylate-substituted mixed-metal oxo clusters containing lead and titanium.
• To investigate the structural features, specifically the layered arrangement and metal composition, of these new clusters.
• To compare the lead content of the synthesized clusters with previously reported compounds.

Main Methods:

• Solvothermal synthesis techniques were employed to prepare the target compounds.
• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used for detailed structural elucidation.
• Elemental analysis confirmed the composition of the synthesized clusters.

Main Results:

• Two new carboxylate-substituted mixed-metal oxo clusters, Pb6Ti6O9(acetate)(methacrylate)17 and Pb4Ti8O10(OiPr)18(acetate)2, were successfully synthesized.
• Both clusters exhibit a unique three-layered structure with distinct metal compositions in each layer.
• These clusters contain a significantly higher number of lead atoms in the core compared to previously reported analogous compounds.
• The layers are interconnected via oxygen, propionate, and/or carboxylate bridging ligands.

Conclusions:

• The successful synthesis of these lead-rich mixed-metal oxo clusters expands the library of known cluster compounds.
• The observed layered structural motif provides insights into the assembly principles of complex metal oxo clusters.
• The higher lead content suggests potential for tuning electronic or catalytic properties in related materials.