The Sn12²? cluster is discovered to be a highly stable and highly symmetric icosahedral cage bonded by four delocalized radial p bonds and nine delocalized onsphere bonds from the 5p orbitals of the Sn atoms. It has a diameter of 6.1 Å with a large empty interior volume and can host most transition metal atoms inside, giving rise to a large class of endohedral chemical building blocks for cluster-assembled nanomaterials.
Revised: April 7, 2011 |
Published: June 16, 2006
Citation
Cui L., X. Huang, L. Wang, D.Y. Zubarev, A.I. Boldyrev, J. Li, and L.S. Wang. 2006.Sn12²?: Stannaspherene.Journal of the American Chemical Society 128, no. 26:8390-8391.PNNL-SA-49408.doi:10.1021/ja062052f