Introduction to molecular clusters

Main-group clusters: Geometric and electronic structure, three-, four- and higher connect clusters, the closo-, nido-, arachno-borane structural paradigm, Wade-Mingos and Jemmis electron counting rules, clusters with nuclearity 4-12 and beyond 12. Structure, synthesis and reactivity.

Transition-metal clusters: Low nuclearity metal-carbonyl clusters and 14n+2 rule, high nuclearity metal-carbonyl clusters with internal atoms. Structure, synthesis and reactivity. Capping rules, isolobal relationships between main-group and transition metal fragments, metal-ligand complexes vs heteronuclear cluster.

Main-group-Transition-metal clusters: Isolobal analogs of p-block and d-block clusters, limitations and exceptions.

Clusters having interstitial main group elements, cubane clusters and naked or Zintl clusters.

Molecular clusters in catalysis, clusters to materials, boron-carbides and metal-borides.

Illustrative examples from recent literature.

Text Books:

1. M. P. Mingos and D. J. Wales; Introduction to Cluster Chemistry, Prentice Hall, 1990.
2. N. Greenwood and E. A. Earnshaw; Chemistry of elements, Second Edition, Butterworth- Heinemann, 1997.
3. P. Fehlner, J. F. Halet and J-Y. Saillard; Molecular Clusters: A Bridge to solid-state Chemistry, Cambridge University press, 2007.
4. D. Gupta and A. J. Elias; Basic Organometallic Chemistry: Concepts, Synthesis, and Applications, Universities Press (India), 2010.
5. M. P. Mingos, Essential Trends in Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford, University Press, 1998.
6. E. Housecroft, Metal-Metal Bonded Carbonyl Dimers and Clusters, Oxford Chemistry Primers (44), Oxford, University Press, 1996.