On the stability of an unsupported mercury-mercury bond linking group 15 Zintl clusters.

The dimeric Zintl ion [Hg(2)(As(7))(2)](4-) has been synthesized with high crystalline yield from the reaction of an ethylendiamine solution of the intermetallic Zintl phase K(3)As(7) with diphenyl mercury. Single crystal X-ray diffraction of [K(2,2,2-crypt)](4)[Hg(2)As(14)], 1 (2,2,2-crypt = 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo[8.8.8]-hexacosane), reveals that the cluster anion exhibits a Hg-Hg bond and the compound has been further characterized using Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and its band gap energy was measured. Theoretical studies provide a microscopic understanding of the bonding in this unusual compound.