title: A distorted tetrahedral metal oxide cluster inside an icosahedral carbon cage. Synthesis, isolation, and structural characterization of Sc4(mu3-O)2@Ih-C80.
abstract: The remarkably large cluster Sc4(mu3-O)2 has been obtained trapped inside an Ih-C80 cage by conducting the vaporization of graphite rods doped with copper(II) nitrate and scandium(III) oxide in an electric arc under a low pressure helium atmosphere with an added flow of air. The product has been isolated by chromatography and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The structure of Sc4(mu3-O)2@Ih-C80 has been determined by X-ray crystallography on a crystal of Sc4(mu3-O)2@Ih-C80.NiII(OEP).2(C6H6). The Sc4(mu3-O)2 unit consists of a distorted tetrahedron of scandium atoms with oxygen atoms bridging two of its faces. The Sc-Sc distances range from 2.946(7) to 3.379(7) A.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA. steven.stevenson@usm.edu
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.forename: J Paige
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Easterling
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chancellor
authors.forename: Marilyn M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Olmstead
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Balch