Certain values for the nuclearity of clusters tend to occur more frequently than others. This paper gives a mathematical derivation of the preferred values of nuclearity (the “magic numbers”) corresponding to various symmetrical, close-packed polygons (in two dimensions) and polyhedra (in three dimensions). Simple general formulas are obtained for the numbers of atoms in these clusters. Explici...

Three novel polyoxometalates (POMs) containing [Ni6(μ3-OH)3](9-) and [P2W15O56](12-) units were first made, showing the first hexa-nuclearity transition-metal substituted POMs (TMSPs) based on monomeric lacunary Dawson fragments, which further indicates that the hydrothermal technique can offer an effective way for making new TMSPs through lacunary POM fragments incorporated with high-nuclear T...

Current interests in the chemistry of high-nuclearity transition-metal complexes draw from their utility in the emerging science of nanomaterials, as models for the multimetal active sites of metal-storage proteins, and as single molecule magnets (SMMs). In addition, such super-sized molecules often show a variety of supramolecular interactions. The “self-assembly” process of generating a high-...

Silica-supported tantalum clusters (on average, approximately tritantalum) were formed by the treatment, in either H(2) or ethane, of adsorbed Ta(CH(2)Ph)(5); the supported catalyst is active for ethane conversion to methane and propane at 523 K, with the used catalyst containing clusters of the same average nuclearity as the precursor.

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have potential in nanoscience due to the range of available building blocks that can allow the assembly of new nano-objects with configurable architectures. This, in turn, promises to lead to nanosystems with predefined functions, applications, and the discovery of new phenomena. Heteropolyoxometalates are an important subset of POMs. Within this class, the choice of the...

Low-nuclearity copper hydrides are rare and few well-defined dicopper have been reported. Herein, we describe the first example of a structurally characterized anionic hydride complex. This complex does not display typical reactivity associated with low-nuclearity hydrides, such as alcoholysis or insertion reactions. Instead, its stoichiometric catalytic is akin to that clusters. The distinct a...

Two molecular grid-like clusters are reported, one is a discrete [3 × 5] grid and the other a [3 × 4] grid within a Mn12Ni2 loop. Both Mn24Ni2 and Mn15 aggregates display novel and aesthetically pleasing structures with the former one being among the highest nuclearity heterometallic MnxMy clusters (M = any transition metal ion).

High-nuclearity Mn complexes have attracted significant scientific attention due to their fascinating magnetic properties and relevance bioinorganic systems catalysis. In this work, we demonstrate how the strong binding characteristics of phosphonate ligands can be coupled with sterically hindered carboxylate groups influence symmetry coordination clusters. We describe structure two high-nuclea...