title: Barium azacryptand sodide, the first alkalide with an alkaline Earth cation, also contains a novel dimer, (Na(2))(2-).
abstract: The first barium sodide, with stoichiometry Ba(2+)(H(5)Azacryptand[2.2.2](-))Na(-).2MeNH(2), was synthesized by the reaction of Ba, Na, and H(6)Azacryptand[2.2.2] in NH(3)-MeNH(2) solution. It was characterized by X-ray crystallography, (23)Na MAS NMR, hydrogen evolution, DSC, optical spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility. This is the first sodide in which the sodium anions form (Na(2))(2)(-) dimers. Previous theoretical predictions were verified by a calculation of the potential energy curve for the dimer in the field of the surrounding charges, whose positions were determined from the crystal structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1322, USA.
authors.forename: Mikhail Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Redko
authors.forename: Rui H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dye