Electron metal clusters

Odd-electron metal clusters are frequently much more labile than are clusters which satisfy the electron counting rules. Catalytic substitution can be effected by one-electron reduction (or in some cases oxidation). 2 qqjg sequence of reactions leading to catalytic substitution is shown in Scheme 1. This scheme for catalytic substitution depends upon the substituted product having a less favorable reduction potential than the starting cluster. 

Clemenger K 1985 Ellipsoidal shell structure In free-electron metal clusters Phys. Rev. B 32 1359... 

Small metal clusters are also of interest because of their importance in catalysis. Despite the fact that small clusters should consist of mostly surface atoms, measurement of the photon ionization threshold for Hg clusters suggest that a transition from van der Waals to metallic properties occurs in the range of 20-70 atoms per cluster [88] and near-bulk magnetic properties are expected for Ni, Pd, and Pt clusters of only 13 atoms [89] Theoretical calculations on Sin and other semiconductors predict that the stmcture reflects the bulk lattice for 1000 atoms but the bulk electronic wave functions are not obtained [90]. Bartell and co-workers [91] study beams of molecular clusters with electron dirfraction and molecular dynamics simulations and find new phases not observed in the bulk. Bulk models appear to be valid for their clusters of several thousand atoms (see Section IX-3). 

Cl.1.3.1 SIMPLE METAL CLUSTERS AND THE ELECTRON SHELL MODEL... 

The spherical shell model can only account for tire major shell closings. For open shell clusters, ellipsoidal distortions occur [47], leading to subshell closings which account for the fine stmctures in figure C1.1.2(a ). The electron shell model is one of tire most successful models emerging from cluster physics. The electron shell effects are observed in many physical properties of tire simple metal clusters, including tlieir ionization potentials, electron affinities, polarizabilities and collective excitations [34]. 

Concelcao J, Laaksonen R T, Wang L S, Guo T, Nordlander P and Smalley R E 1995 Photoelectron spectroscopy of transition metal clusters correlation of valence electronic structure to reactivity Rhys. Rev. B 51 4668... 

Wang L S and Wu H 1998 Probing the electronic structure of transition metal clusters from molecular to bulk-like using photoeieotron spectroscopy Cluster Materials, Advances In Metal and Semiconductor Clusters vo 4, ed M A Duncan (Greenwich JAI Press) p 299... 

Characterization of these clusters indicate an unusual 2n framework electron count having geometries reminiscent of stricdy metallic clusters (11,164). 

When building clusters by coating the fullerenes with metal, features similar to the electronic and geometric shells found in pure metal clusters[9] are observed in the mass spectra. In the case of fullerene molecules coated with alkaline earth metals (section 3), we find that a particularly stable structure is formed... 

The metal cluster will be modeled as an infinitely deep spherical potential well with the represented by an infinitely high spherical barrier. Let us place this barrier in the center of the spherical cluster to simplify the calculations. The simple Schrodinger equation, containing only the interaction of the electrons with the static potential and the kinetic energy term and neglecting any electron-electron interaction, can then be solved analytically, the solutions for the radial wave functions being linear combinations of spherical Bessel and Neumann functions. 

Such a simple model, without the barrier due to the Qo at the center, has been used to calculate the electronic shell structure of pure alkali metal clusters[9]. 

See text. The first two columns give the numbers of metal atoms at which electronic shell closings have been observed in experiment for Cs-covered C o and for pure alkali metal clusters, respectively. The columns on the right list the number of electrons required for shell closings in an infinitely deep potential well with and without a central barrier. The numbers in the different columns are mainly arranged in a manner to show correlations. 

As a result of the systematic application of coordination-chemistry principles, dozens of previously unsuspected stnicture types have been synthesized in which polyhedral boranes or their anions can be considered to act as ligands which donate electron density to metal centres, thereby forming novel metallaboranc elusters, ". Some 40 metals have been found to act as acceptors in this way (see also p. 178). The ideas have been particularly helpful m emphasizing the close interconnection between several previously separated branches of chemistry, notably boron hydride clu.ster chemistry, metallaboranc and metallacarbaborane chemistry (pp. 189-95). organometallic chemistry and metal-metal cluster chemistry. All are now seen to be parts of a coherent whole. 

Electronic structures of transition metal cluster complexes. M. C. Manning and W. C. Trogler, Coord. Chem. Rev., 1981, 38, 89-138 (406). 

The electronic structure of transition metal cluster complexes with weak- and strong-field ligands. G. P. Kostikova and D. V. Korol kov, Russ. Chem. Rev. (Engl. Transl.), 1985,54, 344 (137). 

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