Ditin(IV) Chalcogenide Anions: 77Se, 119Sn, and 125Te Solution NMR Study of the Sn2Ch64- and Sn2Ch74- (Ch = Se, Te) Anions, X-ray Crystal Structures and Raman Spectra of K+(N(CH3)4+)3Sn2Se64-, (enH+)2(2,2,2-crypt-K+)2Sn2Se64-, and (K+)2(2,2,2-crypt-K+)2Sn2Te64-, and X-ray Crystal Structures of K+(2,2,2-crypt-K+)2HOSnTe33- and K+(2,2,2-crypt-K+)2HOSnTe33-·en

Structural transformation of selenidostannates from 1D to 0D and 2D via a stepwise amine-templated assembly strategy

An interesting structural transformation of multidimensional selenidostannates induced through a stepwise amine-templated assembly strategy.

Synthesis and structural characterization of monomeric mercury(ii) selenolate complexes derived from 2-phenylbenzamide ligands

The present work describes the synthesis and structural characterization of mercury selenolate complexes derived from 2-phenylbenzamide ligands and their isolation in monomeric form for the first time.

Atomistic description of thiostannate-capped CdSe nanocrystals: retention of four-coordinate SnS4 motif and preservation of Cd-rich stoichiometry

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are widely studied as building blocks for novel solid-state materials. Inorganic surface functionalization, used to displace native organic capping ligands from NC surfaces, has been a major enabler of electronic solid-state devices based on colloidal NCs. At the same time, very little is known about the atomistic details of the organic-to-inorganic ligand exchange and binding motifs at the NC surface, severely limiting further progress in designing all-inorganic NCs and NC solids. Taking thiostannates (K4SnS4, K4Sn2S6, K6Sn2S7) as typical examples of chalcogenidometallate ligands and oleate-capped CdSe NCs as a model NC system, in this study we address these questions through the combined application of solution (1)H NMR spectroscopy, solution and solid-state (119)Sn NMR spectroscopy, far-infrared and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, elemental analysis, and by DFT modeling. We show that through the X-type oleate-to-thiostannate ligand exchange, CdSe NCs retain their Cd-rich stoichiometry, with a stoichiometric CdSe core and surface Cd adatoms serving as binding sites for terminal S atoms of the thiostannates ligands, leading to all-inorganic (CdSe)core[Cdm(Sn2S7)yK(6y-2m)]shell (taking Sn2S7(6-) ligand as an example). Thiostannates SnS4(4-) and Sn2S7(6-) retain (distorted) tetrahedral SnS4 geometry upon binding to NC surface. At the same time, experiments and simulations point to lower stability of Sn2S6(4-) (and SnS3(2-)) in most solvents and its lower adaptability to the NC surface caused by rigid Sn2S2 rings.

Expanding the chemical versatility of colloidal nanocrystals capped with molecular metal chalcogenide ligands

We developed different strategies toward the synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals stabilized with molecular metal chalcogenide complexes (MCCs). Negatively charged MCCs, such as SnS(4)(4-), Sn(2)S(6)(4-), SnTe(4)(4-), AsS(3)(3-), MoS(4)(2-), can quantitatively replace the organic ligands at the nanocrystal surface and stabilize nanocrystal solutions in different polar media. We showed that all-inorganic nanocrystals composed of metals, semiconductors, or magnetic materials and capped with various MCC ligands can be synthesized using convenient and inexpensive chemicals and environmentally benign solvents such as water, formamide, or dimethylsulfoxide. The development of mild synthetic routes was found to be crucial for the design of highly luminescent all-inorganic nanocrystals, such as CdSe/ZnS and PbS capped with Sn(2)S(6)(4-) MCCs, respectively. We also prepared conductive and luminescent layer-by-layer assemblies from inorganically capped colloidal nanocrystals and polyelectrolytes. In close-packed films of 5-nm Au nanocrystals stabilized with Na(2)Sn(2)S(6) we observed very high electrical conductivities (>1000 S cm(-1)).

Syntheses; 77Se, 203Tl, and 205Tl NMR; and theoretical studies of the Tl2Se6(6-), Tl3Se6(5-), and Tl3Se7(5-) anions and the X-ray crystal structures of [2,2,2-crypt-Na]4[Tl4Se8].en and [2,2,2-crypt-Na]2[Tl2Se4](infinity)1.en

The 2,2,2-crypt salts of the Tl4Se8(4-) and [Tl2Se4(2-)]infinity1 anions have been obtained by extraction of the ternary alloy NaTl0.5Se in ethylenediamine (en) in the presence of 2,2,2-crypt and 18-crown-6 followed by vapor-phase diffusion of THF into the en extract. The [2,2,2-crypt-Na]4[Tl4Se8].en crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, with Z = 2 and a = 14.768(3) angstroms, b = 16.635(3) angstroms, c = 21.254(4) angstroms, beta = 94.17(3) degrees at -123 degrees C, and the [2,2,2-crypt-Na]2[Tl2Se4]infinity1.en crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, with Z = 4 and a = 14.246(2) angstroms, b = 14.360(3) angstroms, c = 26.673(8) angstroms, beta = 99.87(3) degrees at -123 degrees C. The TlIII anions, Tl2Se6(6-) and Tl3Se7(5-), and the mixed oxidation state TlI/TlIII anion, Tl3Se6(5-), have been obtained by extraction of NaTl0.5Se and NaTlSe in en, in the presence of 2,2,2-crypt and/or in liquid NH3, and have been characterized in solution by low-temperature 77Se, 203Tl, and 205Tl NMR spectroscopy. The 1J(203,205Tl-77Se) and 2J(203,205Tl-203,205Tl) couplings of the three anions have been used to arrive at their solution structures by detailed analyses and simulations of all spin multiplets that comprise the 205,203Tl NMR subspectra arising from natural abundance 205,203Tl and 77Se isotopomer distributions. The structure of Tl2Se6(6-) is based on a Tl2Se2 ring in which each thallium is bonded to two exo-selenium atoms so that these thalliums are four-coordinate and possess a formal oxidation state of +3. The Tl4Se8(4-) anion is formally derived from the Tl2Se6(6-) anion by coordination of each pair of terminal Se atoms to the TlIII atom of a TlSe+ cation. The structure of the [Tl2Se4(2-)]infinity1 anion is comprised of edge-sharing distorted TlSe4 tetrahedra that form infinite, one-dimensional [Tl2Se42-]infinity1 chains. The structures of Tl3Se6(5-) and Tl3Se7(5-) are derived from Tl4Se4-cubes in which one thallium atom has been removed and two and three exo-selenium atoms are bonded to thallium atoms, respectively, so that each is four-coordinate and possesses a formal oxidation state of +3 with the remaining three-coordinate thallium atom in the +1 oxidation state. Quantum mechanical calculations at the MP2 level of theory show that the Tl2Se6(6-), Tl3Se6(5-), Tl3Se7(5-), and Tl4Se8(4-) anions exhibit true minima and display geometries that are in agreement with their experimental structures. Natural bond orbital and electron localization function analyses were utilized in describing the bonding in the present and previously published Tl/Se anions, and showed that the Tl2Se6(6-), Tl3Se6(5-), Tl3Se7(5-), and Tl4Se8(4-) anions are electron-precise rings and cages.

Chemical Tuning of the Electronic Properties in a Periodic Surfactant-Templated Nanostructured Semiconductor

In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of a series of hexagonal nanostructured platinum/tin/tellurium inorganic/surfactant composites. The composites are formed through solution-phase self-assembly of SnTe4(4-) Zintl clusters, which are cross-linked with platinum salts in the presence of a cetyltriethylammonium cationic structure directing agent. The cross-linking utilizes various combinations of Pt(II) and Pt(IV) salts. Low-angle X-ray diffraction indicates that all composites form hexagonal honeycomb (p6mm) structures. A combination of elemental analysis and XANES is used to describe the composition and oxidation states within the composites. We find that the extent of tin telluride self-oligomerization and the platinum:tin telluride ratio both vary, indicating that the composite compensates for different platinum oxidation states by tuning the inorganic composition. Near-IR/visible reflectance spectroscopy and UPS can be used to measure both band gaps and absolute band energies. The results show that while moving from all Pt(II) to all Pt(IV) increases the band gap from 0.6 to 0.8 eV, it increases the absolute valence and conduction band energies by almost a full electronvolt. AC impedance spectroscopy further reveals that the conductivities of the materials can be tuned from 0.009 to 0.003 Omega(-1).cm(-1). Additionally, a capacitance arising from the periodic nanoscale organic domains was observed. The conductivity and band gap were used to estimate carrier mobilities in these composites. Chemical tuning of the electronic properties within related nanostructured composites is a useful tool for designing applications that exploit the properties of nanostructured semiconductors.

Synthesis of periodic hexagonal surfactant templated platinum tin tellurides: narrow band gap inorganic/organic composites

In this work we report the synthesis and characterization of a new nanostructured platinum/tin/telluride inorganic/surfactant composite. The material is synthesized from soluble SnTe(4)(4-) clusters and is shown to have well-defined nanometer scale periodicity along with unique optical properties. Small-angle X-ray scattering indicates that the material forms with a 2D hexagonal honeycomb structure, which is size tunable based on surfactant tail length. Multinuclear EXAFS is used as a probe of local order in these materials. The results indicate that the tetrahedral SnTe(4) unit dimerizes during assembly, and these clusters are coordinated to square planar platinum ions. Near-IR/visible reflectance spectroscopy indicates that the material is a narrow band gap semiconductor with a band gap of 0.8 eV. The extension of the ideas of surfactant templating to a narrow band gap semiconductor opens up the exciting potential for future optoelectronic applications.

Syntheses, vibrational spectra, and theoretical studies of the adamantanoid Sn(4)Ch(10)(4-) (Ch = Se, Te) anions: X-ray crystal structures of [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn4Se10]*5en and [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn4Te10]*3en*2THF

The salts [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Se(10)].5en and [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Te(10)].3en.2THF were isolated upon addition of THF to the ethylenediamine (en) extracts of the alloys KSn(0.90)Se(1.93) and K(4)Sn(4)Te(10) that had been extracted in the presence of 18-crown-6 (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane). The Sn(4)Te(10)(4-) anion has been structurally characterized for the first time by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Te(10)].3en.2THF: P2(1)/n, a = 22.420(5) A, b = 19.570(4) A, c = 24.680(5) A, beta = 96.90(3)(o), Z = 4, and R(1) = 0.0468 at -183 degrees C. In addition to Si(4)Te(10)(4-) and Ge(4)Te(10)(4-), the Sn(4)Te(10)(4-) anion represents the only other known group 14 adamantanoid telluride. The X-ray crystal structure determination of the related [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Se(10)].5en salt has also been determined: P2(1)/n, a = 22.003(2) A, b = 18.966(2) A, c = 24.393(2) A, beta = 97.548(8)(o), Z = 4, and R(1) = 0.0843 at -123 degrees C. The anion geometries are of the adamantanoid type where the Sn(IV) atoms occupy the bridgehead positions and the chalcogen atoms occupy the bridging and terminal sites. The energy minimized geometries of Sn(4)Ch(10)(4-) have also been determined using density functional theory (DFT). Mayer bond order analyses, Mayer valencies, and empirical bond valencies indicate that the terminal Sn-Ch bonds have significant multiple bond character, with the terminal Sn-Se bond having more multiple bond character than the terminal Sn-Te bond. The vibrational frequencies of the Sn(4)Se(10)(4-) and Sn(4)Te(10)(4-) anions have been calculated using DFT methods, allowing the Raman spectrum of Sn(4)Se(10)(4-) to be fully assigned.

First examples of thallium chalcogenide cages. Syntheses, 77Se, 203Tl, and 205Tl NMR study of the Tl4Se5(4-) and Tl4Se6(4-) anions, the X-ray crystal structure of (2,2,2-crypt-K+)3Tl5Se5(3-), and theoretical studies

The Tl5Se5(3-) anion has been obtained by extracting KTlSe in ethylenediamine in the presence of 2,2,2-crypt. The salt, (2,2,2-crypt-K+)3Tl5Se5(3-), crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P1, with Z = 2 and a = 11.676(2) A, b = 16.017(3) A, c = 25.421(5) A, alpha = 82.42(3) degrees, beta = 88.47(3) degrees, gamma = 69.03(3) degrees at -123 degrees C. Two other mixed oxidation state TlI/TlIII anions; Tl4Se5(4-) and Tl4Se6(4-), have been obtained by extracting KTlSe into liquid NH3 in the presence of 2,2,2-crypt and have been characterized in solution by low-temperature 77Se, 203Tl, and 205Tl NMR spectroscopy and were shown to exist as a 1:1 equilibrium mixture at -40 degrees C. The couplings, 1J(203,205Tl-77Se) and 2J(203,205Tl-203,205Tl), have been observed for Tl4Se5(4-) and Tl4Se6(4-) and have been used to arrive at the solution structures of both anions. Structural assignments were achieved by detailed analyses and simulations of all spin multiplets that comprise the 205,203Tl NMR spectra and that arise from natural abundance 205,203Tl and 77Se or enriched 77Se isotopomer distributions. The structures of all three anions are based on a Tl4Se4 cube in which Tl and Se atoms occupy alternate corners. There are one and two exo-selenium atoms bonded to thallium in Tl4Se5(4-) and Tl4Se6(4-), respectively, so that these thalliums are four-coordinate and possess a formal oxidation state of +3 and the remaining three-coordinate thallium atoms are in the +1 oxidation state. The structure of Tl5Se5(3-) may be formally regarded as an adduct in which Tl+ is coordinated to the unique exo-selenium and to two seleniums in a cube face containing the TlIII atom. The Tl4Se5(4-), Tl4Se6(4-), and Tl5Se5(3-) anions and the presently unknown, but structurally related, Tl4Se4(4-) anion can be described as electron-precise cages. Ab initio methods at the MP2 level of theory show that Tl4Se5(4-), Tl4Se6(4-), and Tl5Se5(3-) exhibit true minima and display geometrical parameters that are in excellent agreement with their experimental cubanoid structures, and that Tl4Se4(4-) is cube-shaped (Td point symmetry). The gas-phase energetics associated with plausible routes to the formation and interconversions of these anions have been determined by ab initio methods and assessed. It is proposed that all three cubanoid anions are derived from the known Tl2Se2(2-), TlSe3(3-), Se2(2-), and polyselenide anions that have been shown to be present in the solutions they are derived from.

Trigonal Bipyramidal M(2)Ch(3)(2)(-) (M = Sn, Pb; Ch = S, Se, Te) and TlMTe(3)(3)(-) Anions: Multinuclear Magnetic Resonance, Raman Spectroscopic, and Theoretical Studies, and the X-ray Crystal Structures of (2,2,2-crypt-K(+))(3)TlPbTe(3)(3)(-).2en and (2,2,2-crypt-K(+))(2)Pb(2)Ch(3)(2)(-).0.5en (Ch = S, Se)

The series of group 14 metal trigonal bipyramidal anions has been extended to the mixed group 13/group 14 metal TlMTe(3)(3)(-) anions (M = Sn, Pb), obtained by the reaction of Tl(2)M(2)Te(3) and K(2)Te in en or in en/ethylamine mixtures and a stoichiometric excess of 2,2,2-crypt with respect to K(+). The thallium anions were characterized in solution by (119)Sn, (205)Tl, (207)Pb, and (125)Te NMR spectroscopy. The small magnitudes of the relativistically corrected reduced coupling constants, (1)(K(M)(-)(Ch))(RC) and (1)(K(Tl)(-)(Ch))(RC), observed for the previously reported M(2)Ch(3)(2)(-) (Ch = Se, Te) and the TlMTe(3)(3)(-) anions are consistent with predominantly p-bonded cages, and this observation is supported by local and nonlocal density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Theory indicates M-M and Tl-M interactions of high s character corresponding to Mayer bond orders of 0.13-0.32. The (K(M)(-)(M))(RC) and (K(Tl)(-)(M))(RC) couplings are unusually large compared to those of the butterfly-shaped Tl(2)Ch(2)(2)(-) anions and likely arise from higher M-M and Tl-M bond orders, a larger number of coupling pathways, and smaller M-Ch-M and M-Ch-Tl bond angles. The TlPbTe(3)(3)(-) anion has also been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography in (2,2,2-crypt-K(+))(3)TlPbTe(3)(3)(-).2en [monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, Z = 4, a = 15.256(5) Å, b = 26.087(9) Å, c = 20.984(8) Å, and beta = 93.03(3) degrees ] along with Pb(2)Ch(3)(2)(-) (Ch = S, Se) in (2,2,2-crypt-K(+))(2)Pb(2)Ch(3)(2)(-).0.5en [Pb(2)S(3)(2)(-): triclinic system, space group P&onemacr;, Z = 2, a = 10.189(2) Å, b = 11.329(2) Å, c = 23.194(4) Å, alpha = 95.439(14) degrees, beta = 92.562(14) degrees, and gamma = 90.549(14) degrees; Pb(2)Se(3)(2)(-): triclinic system, space group P&onemacr;, Z = 2, a = 10.187(2) Å, b = 11.403(2) Å, c = 23.360(6) Å, alpha = 95.26(2) degrees, beta = 92.17(2) degrees, and gamma = 90.89(2) degrees ]. Density functional theory calculations show that the experimental structures for the M(2)Ch(3)(2)(-) and TlPbTe(3)(3)(-) anions are true minima and reproduce the experimental bond distances and angles. The vibrational frequencies determined by DFT calculations are in good agreement with those determined by Raman spectroscopy and have been used in their assignment.