Transition metal clusters structural data

Although there are a lot of publications on the chemistry of technetium [2-4] and transition-metal clusters [1,5-8], the chemistry of technetium clusters was insufficiently studied until the early eighties [1,2]. Nevertheless, the available scanty data on the compounds with Tc-Tc bonds inspired hope that interesting results would be obtained in the chemistry of technetium in general, in radiochemistry, and in the chemistry of transition-metal cluster compounds. The anticipated results were actually obtained [9-15] and the conclusion was drawn that technetium had a number of anomalous cluster-forming properties [9]. This review looks at the detailed studies of these properties and their interpretation in terms of electronic structure theory. 

The information available is discussed in light of the effects of excitation energy and the environment on the photofragmentation process of several transition metal cluster complexes. The photochemical information provides a data base directly relevant to electronic structure theories currently used to understand and predict properties of transition metal complexes (1,18,19). 

It is evident from the above table that a considerable spread of chemical shift values is observed in tellurium-transition metal complexes, but the factors that determine the chemical shift are still poorly understood and data are not available for all known structural types. The most extensive compilations of data have been provided by Rauchfuss (187) and Herrmann (191), with the point being made in the former reference that chemical shifts are extremely sensitive to changes in cluster geometry. In principle, 12sTe NMR spectroscopy is a valuable method for studying tellurium-transition metal clusters in solution, but it is clear that more data are required before unambiguous structural assignments can be inferred. 

These studies are excellent examples illustrating how the structure of the reactive transition metal cluster is probed directly under catalytic reaction conditions. From these data, correlations can be drawn regarding... 

There are still only a few examples of mixed metal-transition metal clusters containing boron atoms. The first to be reported was Cp2Co2Fe(CO)4B3H3 (92). This cluster results from the photolysis of 2-CpCoB4Hg [a basally substituted isolobal analog of pentaborane(9)] with Fe(CO)5. NMR spectroscopic data are consistent with the proposed structure shown in Fig. 17. 

Another example for an investigation of multinuclear transition metal clusters is the SOS-DFPT-IGLO study of the C shift tensors for interstitial carbides enclosed in carbonyl clusters. The interstitial shifts are important, both as a proof for the existence of an interstitial atom, and as a potential probe of electronic structure. Table 2 compares computed and experimental shifts. For the two rhodium clusters, it has been possible to compare not only isotropic shifts but the entire shift tensors, as an independent solid-state NMR study given the first tensor data for a number of interstitial carbides and nitrides. The overall agreement between computation and experiment is good, both for the isotropic shifts and for the available tensors. The largest deviation (43 ppm) was found... 

Moreover, the interpretation of experimental data on clusters in solution requires more elaborate theoretical models to include the solvation effects around the structure of a small metal cluster. New kinetic models must be developed to describe nucleation, which governs the phase transition from a solute to a small solid phase. 

Table 19.4.3 listed the bond valence and structural data of some selected examples of high-nuclearity clusters, each consisting of seven or more transition-metal atoms. The skeletal structures of these clusters are shown in Fig. 19.4.1. 

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