Al4H7(-) is a resilient building block for aluminum hydrogen cluster materials.
The formation and oxygen etching of Al(n)H(m)(-) clusters are characterized in a flow reactor experiment with first-principles theoretical investigations to demonstrate the exceptional stability of Al(4)H(7)(-). The origin of the preponderance of Al(4)H(7)(-) in the mass spectra of hydrogenated aluminum anions and its resistance to O(2) etching are discussed. Al(4)H(7)(-) is shown to have the ability to bond with ionic partners to form stable hydrides through addition of an alkali atom [XAl(4)H(7) (X = Li-Cs)]. An intuitive model that can predict the existence of stable hydrogenated cluster species is proposed. The potential synthetic utility of the superatom assemblies built on these units is addressed.
Roach
P J
PJ
Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Reber
A C
AC
Woodward
W H
WH
Khanna
S N
SN
Castleman
A W
AW
D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006371:Helium / Q000737:chemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D014835:Volatilization