Bridging the gap between coordination and cluster compounds: Unusual bonding modes for zinc

Abstract

Inner virtue: The reaction of [Mo0(GaCp*)6] with ZnMe2 yields the novel multinuclear zinc system [MoZn 12Me9Cp*3] which geometrically resembles a classical Wade-Mingos cluster (with an interstitial molybdenum atom, see picture). In reality, its electronic structure features little direct Zn Zn bonding, relying instead on Mo Zn three-center, two-electron bonds spanning the body diagonals of the approximately icosahedral framework. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.