The first binuclear sandwich-like complexes based on the aromatic tetraatomic species

Congzhi Wang, Nan Li*, Xiuhui Zhang, Lin Ji, Qianshu Li

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The first binuclear sandwich-like complexes based on the aromatic tetraatomic species with formula M24-E 4)2 (M = Al, Ga; E = N, P, As) have been studied by density functional theory (DFT). The stable conformer for each M 24-E4)2 is the staggered one with D4d symmetry except for Ga22-N 4)2 with C2v symmetry. Natural bonding orbital (NBO) analysis indicates that the metal-metal bonds of Al24-E4)2 (E = N, P, As) and Ga 24-E4)2 (E = P, As) are all σ single bonds, which are derived mostly from the s and pz orbitals of the metal atoms by molecular orbital (MO) analysis. For M 24-E4)2 (M = Al, Ga; E = P, As), the metal-ligand interactions are covalent, while for Al 24-N4)2 the interactions between the Al atoms and the N42- ligands are ionic. According to the calculated dissociation energies for breaking metal-metal bonds, the Al-Al and Ga-Ga bonds are very strong indicating that these stable sandwich-like compounds Al24-E4) 2 (E = N, P, As) and Ga24-E 4)2 (E = P, As) may be synthesized in future experiments. The nitrogen-rich compounds Al24-N4) 2 and Ga22-N4)2 may be used as potential candidates of high energy density materials (HEDMs). Nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) values reveal that the E 42- rings in the Al24-E 4)2 (E = N, P, As) and Ga24- E4)2 (E = P, As) species possess conflicting aromaticity (σ antiaromaticity and π aromaticity) and with the same ligands, the E42- ligands in Ga24-E 4)2 have more aromaticity than those in Al 24-E4)2.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6922-6928
Number of pages7
JournalDalton Transactions
Volume40
Issue number26
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jul 2011

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