title: On the stability of an unsupported mercury-mercury bond linking group 15 Zintl clusters.
abstract: The dimeric Zintl ion [Hg(2)(As(7))(2)](4-) has been synthesized with high crystalline yield from the reaction of an ethylendiamine solution of the intermetallic Zintl phase K(3)As(7) with diphenyl mercury. Single crystal X-ray diffraction of [K(2,2,2-crypt)](4)[Hg(2)As(14)], 1 (2,2,2-crypt = 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo[8.8.8]-hexacosane), reveals that the cluster anion exhibits a Hg-Hg bond and the compound has been further characterized using Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and its band gap energy was measured. Theoretical studies provide a microscopic understanding of the bonding in this unusual compound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Sukhendu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Arthur C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Reber
authors.forename: Meichun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hector M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Saavedra
authors.forename: Saikat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Shiv N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: Ayusman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen