Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
Published on: February 15, 2016
An octacoordinated Nb atom in the NbAl8H8+ cluster
Piero Ferrari1, Hung Tan Pham2, Jan Vanbuel1
1Quantum Solid-State Physics, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. ewald.janssens@kuleuven.be.
Abstract:
The NbAl8H8+ cluster was formed in a molecular beam and characterized by mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy. Density functional theory calculations show the lowest-energy isomer is a high symmetry singlet with the Nb atom placed at the center of a distorted hexagonal Al ring and coordinated by two AlH moieties, therefore exhibiting octacoordination. The unprecedented high-symmetric geometry is attributed to the 20 valence electrons; the central Nb atom adheres to the 18-electron rule and two additional delocalized electrons stabilize the hexagonal ring.
More Related Videos
09:35Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by CopperI-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
08:40Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Valence Bond Theory
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature
Coordination Number and Geometry
Exceptions to the Octet Rule
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...