Excision of zirconium iodide clusters from highly cross-linked solids

Syntheses and structures of Zr4 tetrahedral clusters containing direct Zr-Zr bonds: the missing cluster in the series Zr(n) (n = 2-6)

The reduction of [(μ(2)-H)( μ(3)-H)(Cp*ZrCl)](4) by excess Na/Hg led to the isolation of the mixed-valence Zr(III)/Zr(IV) Zr(4) cluster [(μ(2)-H)(8)(μ(2)-Cl)(2)(Cp*Zr)(4)], 1, and the Zr(II)/Zr(III) Zr(4) cluster [(μ(2)-H)(6)(Cp*Zr)(4)], 2. The proton NMR data supports the diamagnetic property of both clusters in solution and the solid state structure of each cluster revealed a distorted tetrahedral skeleton comprised of four Zr atoms and the presence of direct Zr-Zr bonds. The hydride-bridged Zr-Zr bond distances are in the range of 3.0516(6)-3.0585(6) Å in 1 and 3.0525(13)-3.0864(13) Å in 2. The chloride-bridged Zr-Zr distances in 1 are 3.5514(6) and 3.5643(6) Å. The existence of Zr-Zr bonds in both clusters was further confirmed by DFT calculations. 1 and 2 represent the first examples of Zr(4) tetrahedrons containing direct Zr-Zr bonds.

[(Zr6B)Cl12(MeCN)6][Ph4B].1.6MeCN: an easily-accessible starting material for zirconium cluster chemistry and [(Zr6B)Cl12(Pyr6)][Ph4B].2{(PyrH)[Ph4B]}, a first reaction product

In an attempt to produce a convenient starting material for the development of new interstitially centered, octahedral zirconium cluster compounds by solution-chemical methods, a new approach, using Na[Ph4B] to withdraw all six outer chlorides by precipitating them as NaCl, was explored. From a solution of K 2[(Zr 6B)Cl15] and Na[Ph4B] in acetonitrile, the tetraphenylborate salt [(Zr6B)Cl12(MeCN)6][Ph4B].1.6 MeCN (1) was obtained with high yield. It contains the [(Zr6B)Cl(i)12(MeCN)(a)6](+) ion (2) with an octahedral metal core. The crystal structure of 1, which possesses high solubility in several organic solvents, is reported. Treatment of 1 with pyridine gave the new cluster phase [(Zr6B)Cl12(Pyr6][Ph4B].2{(PyrH)[Ph4B]} (3), which was characterized as well by X-ray crystallography. An advantage of both title phases is that they contain Lewis acidic zirconium cluster units, which might be useful as catalysts, with the additional advantage of tuneable redox properties.

Synthesis and Characterization of Prussian Blue Analogues Incorporating the Edge-Bridged Octahedral [Zr6BCl12]2+ Cluster Core

In attempts to produce a microporous magnet, two approaches were explored for expanding the Prussian blue structure type via incorporation of edge-bridged octahedral [Zr(6)ZCl(12)](2+) (Z = B, Be) cluster cores. Dissolution of Rb(5)Zr(6)BCl(18) and K(5)Zr(6)BeCl(15) in an acetonitrile solution of Et(4)N(CN) led to the isolation of (Et(4)N)(5)[Zr(6)BCl(12)(CN)(6)] (1) and (Et(4)N)(5)[Zr(6)BeCl(12)(CN)(6)].2MeCN.2THF (2), respectively. The crystal structure of 1.1.5MeCN revealed the expected cyano-terminated cluster complex with a trans-N...N span of 11.73(3) Angstroms. Unfortunately, both [Zr(6)ZCl(12)(CN)(6)](5-) clusters rapidly lose their cyanide ligands in aqueous solution making them ill-suited for solid-forming reactions with hydrated metal ions. Such outer-ligand exchange, however, allows the use of [Zr(6)BCl(18)](4-) in the synthesis of expanded Prussian blue-type solids through reactions with [Cr(CN)(6)](3-). The use of 2.2 M aqueous LiCl to stabilize the cluster during the reaction gave (Et(4)N)(2)[Zr(6)BCl(12)][Cr(CN)(6)]Cl.3H(2)O (3), while the use of 1 M acetic acid yielded (Et(4)N)(2)[Zr(6)BCl(12)][Cr(CN)(6)]Cl.2H(2)O.CH(3)CO(2)H (4). A Rietveld refinement against X-ray powder diffraction data collected for 3 confirmed the presence of a cubic Prussian blue framework structure, featuring alternating [Zr(6)BCl(12)](2+) cores and [Cr(CN)(6)](3-) anions. The temperature dependence of magnetization data obtained for 4 revealed activation of magnetic exchange interactions between the S = (1)/(2) cluster units and the S = (3)/(2) hexacyanochromate complexes below 10 K.