Tin sulfide and selenide clusters soluble in organic solvents with the core structures of Sn4S6 and Sn4Se6

Adamantane-type clusters: compounds with a ubiquitous architecture but a wide variety of compositions and unexpected materials properties

The research into adamantane-type compounds has gained momentum in recent years, yielding remarkable new applications for this class of materials. In particular, organic adamantane derivatives (AdR4) or inorganic adamantane-type compounds of the general formula [(RT)4E6] (R: organic substituent; T: group 14 atom C, Si, Ge, Sn; E: chalcogenide atom S, Se, Te, or CH2) were shown to exhibit strong nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, either second-harmonic generation (SHG) or an unprecedented type of highly-directed white-light generation (WLG) - depending on their respective crystalline or amorphous nature. The (missing) crystallinity, as well as the maximum wavelengths of the optical transitions, are controlled by the clusters' elemental composition and by the nature of the organic groups R. Very recently, it has been additionally shown that cluster cores with increased inhomogeneity, like the one in compounds [RSi{CH2Sn(E)R'}3], not only affect the chemical properties, such as increased robustness and reversible melting behaviour, but that such 'cluster glasses' form a conceptually new basis for their use in light conversion devices. These findings are likely only the tip of the iceberg, as beside elemental combinations including group 14 and group 16 elements, many more adamantane-type clusters (on the one hand) and related architectures representing extensions of adamantane-type clusters (on the other hand) are known, but have not yet been addressed in terms of their opto-electronic properties. In this review, we therefore present a survey of all known classes of adanmantane-type compounds and their respective synthetic access as well as their optical properties, if reported.

Silicon Chalcogenide Cage Compounds: New Structures Derived from the Bicyclic Silicon(I) Ring Compound Si4 {N(SiMe3 )Mes}4

The bicyclic silicon(I) ring compound Si4 {N(SiMe3 )Mes}4 (2) was used as starting material in reactions with chalcogens and chalcogen transfer agents at low temperatures. This resulted in the selective formation of new cage compounds. With Me3 NO, a silicon oxide with adamantane-type cage 3 was isolated that represents the first isolated T4 silsesquioxane. Reactions with propylenesulfide and red selenium gave direct access to defect heterocubane-type cages 4 and 5 with three Si-Si bonds wherein the silicon atoms adopt different low oxidation states of +I and +III. A reaction with elemental tellurium even occurs below room temperature to provide ditelluro-tetrasila-tricyclohexane 6.

Trapping of ZnCl2 by bipyridyl-functionalized organotin sulfide clusters, and its effect on optical properties

We report the syntheses of two new organotin sulfide clusters with heteroaromatic substituents. A phenanthroline-functionalized tin sulfide cluster [(RPhenSn)4S6] (1; RPhen = CMe2CH2C(Me)N-NC(H)C12H7N2) and a bipyridyl-terminated cluster [(R4-bipySn)4S6] (2; R4-bipy = CMe2CH2C(Me)N-NC(H)-4-C10H7N2) were obtained from reactions of the hydrazone-functionalized organotin sulfide cluster [(RNSn)4S6] (RN = CMe2CH2C(Me)N-NH2) with 1,10-phenanthroline-5-carboxaldehyde or 2,2'-bipyridine-4-carbaldehyde. 1 and 2 were tested towards their capability of trapping metal ions by means of the terminal chelating ligands. The reaction of 2 with ZnCl2 afforded the cluster compound [(R4-bipyZnCl2Sn)4S6] (5), in which four ZnCl2 units are coordinated by the heteroaromatic organic groups. We discuss the structures and demonstrate the effect of ZnCl2 trapping on optical absorption and luminescence properties.