Tetrahedral metals

It was shown that planar-chiral cyclopentadienyl-phosphine ligands were excellent chirality inducers during the synthesis of chiral-at-metal tetrahedral Ru-phosphine or -phosphite complexes (99% de). 

The "mixed" metal tetrahedral clusters CoRh3(CO)i2 (brown), Co2Rh2(CO)i2 (brown), and Rh3lr(CO)12 (orange) have been briefly mentioned in a lecture (75). 

In the anionic cluster [Nis(CO)9 0i2-CO)3] we have a trigonal bipyramidal architecture [66] (Figure 14) and a similar structure has been reported for Oss(CO)i6 [67]. The major interest of the five atom cluster is that it indicates that the growing of the 4 metal tetrahedral cluster to the 5 metal cluster can occur by formation of a polytetrahedron as in the case of very small particles. Even in more complex mixed clusters a similar trigonal bipyramidal arrangement has been found as... 

The coordination number 4 is fairly common, and there are two limiting shapes, as listed in Table VIII the planar and the tetrahedral. For main group metals, tetrahedral ions... 

LG Van Uitert. A comparison of melting point relations for metals, tetrahedral semiconductors, and metal carbides and nitrides with rocksalt structure. J Appl Phys 52 5547, 1981. 

Unlike the forces between ions which are electrostatic and without direction, covalent bonds are directed in space. For a simple molecule or covalently bonded ion made up of typical elements the shape is nearly always decided by the number of bonding electron pairs and the number of lone pairs (pairs of electrons not involved in bonding) around the central metal atom, which arrange themselves so as to be as far apart as possible because of electrostatic repulsion between the electron pairs. Table 2.8 shows the essential shape assumed by simple molecules or ions with one central atom X. Carbon is able to form a great many covalently bonded compounds in which there are chains of carbon atoms linked by single covalent bonds. In each case where the carbon atoms are joined to four other atoms the essential orientation around each carbon atom is tetrahedral. 

It also forms compounds known as carbonyls with many metals. The best known is nickel tetracarbonyl, Ni(CO)4, a volatile liquid, clearly covalent. Here, donation of two electrons by each carbon atom brings the nickel valency shell up to that of krypton (28 -E 4 x 2) the structure may be written Ni( <- 0=0)4. (The actual structure is more accurately represented as a resonance hybrid of Ni( <- 0=0)4 and Ni(=C=0)4 with the valency shell of nickel further expanded.) Nickel tetracarbonyl has a tetrahedral configuration,... 

All Group IV elements form tetrachlorides, MX4, which are predominantly tetrahedral and covalent. Germanium, tin and lead also form dichlorides, these becoming increasingly ionic in character as the atomic weight of the Group IV element increases and the element becomes more metallic. Carbon and silicon form catenated halides which have properties similar to their tetrahalides. 

The chromates of the alkali metals and of magnesium and calcium are soluble in water the other chromates are insoluble. The chromate ion is yellow, but some insoluble chromates are red (for example silver chromate, Ag2Cr04). Chromates are often isomorph-ous with sulphates, which suggests that the chromate ion, CrO has a tetrahedral structure similar to that of the sulphate ion, SO4 Chromates may be prepared by oxidising chromium(III) salts the oxidation can be carried out by fusion with sodium peroxide, or by adding sodium peroxide to a solution of the chromium(IIl) salt. The use of sodium peroxide ensures an alkaline solution otherwise, under acid conditions, the chromate ion is converted into the orange-coloured dichromate ion ... 

Nickel tetracarbonyl Ni(CO)4 was the first metal carbonyl to be discovered, by Mond in 1890 it is obtained by passage of carbon monoxide over nickel metal heated to 320 K. It is a volatile, toxic liquid (b.p. 315 K), and has a tetrahedral structure. It has considerable stability, but inflames in air it is believed that in the structure... 

All the following compounds are charactenzed by ionic bonding between a group I metal cation and a tetrahedral anion Wnte an appropriate Lewis structure for each anion remembenng to specify formal charges where they exist... 

Iron hahdes react with haHde salts to afford anionic haHde complexes. Because kon(III) is a hard acid, the complexes that it forms are most stable with F and decrease ki both coordination number and stabiHty with heavier haHdes. No stable F complexes are known. [FeF (H20)] is the predominant kon fluoride species ki aqueous solution. The [FeF ] ion can be prepared ki fused salts. Whereas six-coordinate [FeCy is known, four-coordinate complexes are favored for chloride. Salts of tetrahedral [FeCfy] can be isolated if large cations such as tetraphenfyarsonium or tetra alkylammonium are used. [FeBrJ is known but is thermally unstable and disproportionates to kon(II) and bromine. Complex anions of kon(II) hahdes are less common. [FeCfy] has been obtained from FeCfy by reaction with alkaH metal chlorides ki the melt or with tetraethyl ammonium chloride ki deoxygenated ethanol. 

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