title: Electron Solvation and the Unique Liquid Structure of a Mixed-Amine Expanded Metal: The Saturated Li-NH3-MeNH2System.
abstract: Metal-amine solutions provide a unique arena in which to study electrons in solution, and to tune the electron density from the extremes of electrolytic through to true metallic behavior. The existence and structure of a new class of concentrated metal-amine liquid, Li-NH3-MeNH2, is presented in which the mixed solvent produces a novel type of electron solvation and delocalization that is fundamentally different from either of the constituent systems. NMR, ESR, and neutron diffraction allow the environment of the solvated electron and liquid structure to be precisely interrogated. Unexpectedly it was found that the solution is truly homogeneous and metallic. Equally surprising was the observation of strong longer-range order in this mixed solvent system. This is despite the heterogeneity of the cation solvation, and it is concluded that the solvated electron itself acts as a structural template. This is a quite remarkable observation, given that the liquid is metallic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QR, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Seel
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.|National Nuclear Laboratory, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Swan
authors.affiliation: ISIS Spallation Neutron Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Bowron
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wasse
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QR, UK.
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Neal T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Skipper
keywords: amines; conducting materials; electron transfer; electronic structure; phase transitions