Chemistry: Metal compounds of a special kind
KIT Researchers from the Helmholtz Research Field Information Discover New Aromatic Properties in Metal Clusters (Source: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology – Press Releases)
Metal clusters are collections of chemically bonded metal atoms that have special magnetic and metallic properties. They are therefore highly interesting for basic research. In addition, such metal compounds also have great potential in catalysis. A research team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has now succeeded in obtaining two clusters, each consisting of two types of metal atoms, in an environmentally friendly manner and with good yields, and in investigating their unique properties.
One of the newly synthesized clusters, consisting of the metals ruthenium and bismuth, exhibits a very unusual property for metal compounds, the so-called aromaticity. Aromatics are normally organic hydrocarbon compounds such as benzene. They have very special properties due to their highly symmetrical ring-shaped structure and as a result of a special bonding form of the atoms among each other; for example, they are unusually chemically stable.
Paradigm shift in chemical bond forms
“Aromaticity is well known for organic molecules, but recently it has also been discussed for metal clusters,” said Stefanie Dehnen, executive director of the Institute of Nanotechnology at KIT. “We have synthesized a metallic cluster compound that exhibits a new, spatially more complex type of aromaticity that does not exist in organic compounds. We call it phi-aromaticity.” In doing so, the research team proved that aromaticity, which has a dramatic impact on the chemical and physical properties of molecules, can take on new dimensions for metal clusters.
“The result is fundamental because it contributes to a paradigm shift in concepts of chemical bond forms. In perspective, we hope to use the higher stability of phi-aromatic clusters to perform selective reactions with them,” Dehnen said.
KIT/R. Link, 26.01.2023
The original press release can be found at:
Chemie: Metallverbindungen der besonderen Art (only in german)
Localization in the Helmholtz Research Field Information:
Helmholtz Research Field Information, Program 3: Materials Systems Engineering
Contact:
Stefanie Dehnen
Institute of Nanotechnology
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Phone: +49 721 608-28940
E-Mail: stefanie.dehnen@kit.edu
Contact for this press release:
Regina Link
Press Officer
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Phone: +49 721 608-41158
E-Mail: regina.link@kit.edu
