Issue 1, 2012

Structures of medium sized tin cluster anions

Abstract

The structures of medium sized tin cluster anions Snn (n = 16–29) were determined by a combination of density functional theory, trapped ion electron diffraction and collision induced dissociation (CID). Mostly prolate structures were found with a structural motif based on only three repeatedly appearing subunit clusters, the Sn7 pentagonal bipyramid, the Sn9 tricapped trigonal prism and the Sn10 bicapped tetragonal antiprism. Sn16 and Sn17 are composed of two face connected subunits. In Sn18–Sn20 the subunits form cluster dimers. For Sn21–Sn23 additional tin atoms are inserted between the building blocks. Sn24 and Sn25 are composed of a Sn9 or Sn10 connected to a Sn15 subunit, which closely resembles the ground state of Sn15. Finally, in the larger clusters Sn26–Sn29 additional bridging atoms again connect the building blocks. The CID experiments reveal fission as the main fragmentation channel for all investigated cluster sizes. This rather unexpected “pearl-chain” cluster growth mode is rationalized by the extraordinary stability of the building blocks.

Graphical abstract: Structures of medium sized tin cluster anions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Sep 2011
Accepted
11 Oct 2011
First published
09 Nov 2011

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012,14, 234-245

Structures of medium sized tin cluster anions

A. Wiesel, N. Drebov, T. Rapps, R. Ahlrichs, U. Schwarz, R. Kelting, P. Weis, M. M. Kappes and D. Schooss, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14, 234 DOI: 10.1039/C1CP22874A

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