The bonding characteristics and electronic and magnetic properties of organometallic sandwich clusters and nanowires

Abstract

Organometallic sandwich compounds, comprised of organic molecules and metal atoms, have been receiving extensive attention due to their potential applications in a range of fields spanning nanocomposites and optoelectronic and biological sensors. This article reviews the important advances, obtained recently by both experimental and theoretical approaches, on various organometallic sandwich clusters and molecular wires, and discuss their stability, bonding characteristics, molecular magnetism, and electronic and transport properties. Metal-ligand sandwich clusters and molecular wires, which are constituted by metal atoms and organic/inorganic ligands, show potential applications in molecular recognition, catalysis, nanocomposites, optoelectronic, and biological sensors due to their unique structure, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. This review focuses on recent progress on organometallic sandwich complexes composed of 3d-transition metal or 4(5)f-lanthanide metal with polycyclic hydrocarbon rings like benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, pentalene, or cyclooctatetraene molecules and their hybrid sandwich structures. The stability, bonding characteristics, molecular magnetism, electronic, and transport properties are discussed. Current challenge and prospects in this field are also addressed.