Lithium-ion Mobility in Li6 B18 (Li3 N) and Li Vacancy Tuning in the Solid Solution Li6 B18 (Li3 N)1-x (Li2 O)x.

All-solid-state batteries are promising candidates for safe energy-storage systems due to non-flammable solid electrolytes and the possibility to use metallic lithium as an anode. Thus, there is a challenge to design new solid electrolytes and to understand the principles of ion conduction on an atomic scale. We report on a new concept for compounds with high lithium ion mobility based on a rigid open-framework boron structure. The host-guest structure Li6 B18 (Li3 N) comprises large hexagonal pores filled with ∞ 1 [ ${{}_{{\rm { \infty }}}{}^{{\rm { 1}}}{\rm { [}}}$ Li7 N] strands that represent a perfect cutout from the structure of α-Li3 N. Variable-temperature 7 Li NMR spectroscopy reveals a very high Li mobility in the template phase with a remarkably low activation energy below 19 kJ mol-1 and thus much lower than pristine Li3 N. The formation of the solid solution of Li6 B18 (Li3 N) and Li6 B18 (Li2 O) over the complete compositional range allows the tuning of lithium defects in the template structure that is not possible for pristine Li3 N and Li2 O.

Na7TaP4: A Ternary Sodium Phosphidotantalate Containing [TaP4]7- Tetrahedra.

While lithium phosphides have been investigated intensively, very little is known about the corresponding sodium-based phosphides. Here, we report on the first ternary Na-Ta-P compound Na7TaP4, which is easily accessible via ball milling of the elements and subsequent annealing. The single crystal X-ray structure determination [monoclinic symmetry; space group P21/c; and lattice parameters a = 11.5604(4), b = 8.1530(3), c = 11.5450(5) Å, and ß = 101.602(3)°] reveals [TaP4]7- tetrahedra, which are surrounded by Na+ counterions. Na7TaP4 crystallizes in a new structure type. The structure can be described as a strongly distorted hexagonal close packing of P atoms, in which the Ta atoms are located in tetrahedral voids, and Na atoms occupy all octahedral voids and additionally 3/8 of the tetrahedral voids. The possibility to increase the ion conductivity by changing the number of charge carriers through aliovalent substitution in compounds containing [SiP4]8- and [AlP4]9- is considered. The 31P and 23Na MAS NMR as well as the Raman spectra are in accordance with the structure model, and band structure calculations predict a direct band gap of 2.9 eV.

Synthesis, Structure, Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy, and Electronic Structures of the Phosphidotrielates Li3 AlP2 and Li3 GaP2.

The lithium phosphidoaluminate Li9 AlP4 represents a promising new compound with a high lithium ion mobility. This triggered the search for new members in the family of lithium phosphidotrielates, and the novel compounds Li3 AlP2 and Li3 GaP2 , obtained directly from the elements via ball milling and subsequent annealing, are reported here. It was unexpectedly found through band structure calculations that Li3 AlP2 and Li3 GaP2 are direct band gap semiconductors with band gaps of 3.1 and 2.8 eV, respectively. Rietveld analyses reveal that both compounds crystallize isotypically in the orthorhombic space group Cmce (no. 64) with lattice parameters of a=11.5138(2), b=11.7634(2) and c=5.8202(1) Šfor Li3 AlP2 , and a=11.5839(2), b=11.7809(2) and c=5.8129(2) Šfor Li3 GaP2 . The crystal structures feature TrP4 (Tr=Al, Ga) corner- and edge-sharing tetrahedra, forming two-dimensional ∞ 2 T r P 2 3 - layers. The lithium atoms are located between and inside these layers. The crystal structures were confirmed by MAS-NMR spectroscopy.

Solvate-Induced Semiconductor to Metal Transition: Flat 1 ∞ [Bi1- ] Zigzag Chains in Metallic KBi⋠NH3 versus 1 ∞ [Bi1- ] Helices in Semiconducting KBi.

Polymeric 1 ∞ [Bi]- in KBi⋅NH3 has planar zigzag chains with two-connected Bi atoms and metallic properties, whereas KBi, which has helical chains of Bi atoms, is semiconducting. The isomerization of the Bi chain is induced by solvate molecules. In the novel layered solvate structure uncharged 2 ∞ [KBi] layers are separated by intercalated NH3 molecules. These layers are a structural excerpt of the iso(valence)electronic CaSi, whose metallic properties arise from the planarity of the zigzag chain of Si atoms. Computational studies support this view, they show an anisotropic metallic behavior along the Bi chain. Electron delocalization is also found in the new cyclic anion [Bi6 ]4- isolated in K2 [K(18-crown-6)]2 [Bi6 ]⋅9 NH3 . Although [Bi6 ]4- should exhibit one localized double bond, electron delocalization is observed in analogy to the lighter homologues [P6 ]4- and [As6 ]4- . Both compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure determination.

Metallocages for Metal Anions: Highly Charged [Co@Ge9 ]5- and [Ru@Sn9 ]6- Clusters Featuring Spherically Encapsulated Co1- and Ru2- Anions.

Endohedral clusters count as molecular models for intermetallic compounds-a class of compounds in which bonding principles are scarcely understood. Herein we report soluble cluster anions with the highest charges on a single cluster to date. The clusters reflect the close analogy between intermetalloid clusters and corresponding coordination polyhedra in intermetallic compounds. We now establish Raman spectroscopy as a reliable probe to assign for the first time the presence of discrete, endohedrally filled clusters in intermetallic phases. The ternary precursor alloys with nominal compositions "K5 Co1.2 Ge9 " and "K4 Ru3 Sn7 " exhibit characteristic bonding modes originating from metal atoms in the center of polyhedral clusters, thus revealing that filled clusters are present in these alloys. We report also on the structural characterization of [Co@Ge9 ]5- (1a) and [Ru@Sn9 ]6- (2a) obtained from solutions of the respective alloys.

[(µ2-H)(η2-Ge4)ZnPh2]3-, an edge-on protonated E4 cluster establishing the first three-center two-electron Ge-H-Ge bond.

The first example of a protonated and a rare example of a metal complex of the tetrahedral tetrel cluster anion [Ge4]4- was obtained from a solution of K6Rb6Ge17 in liquid ammonia in the presence of ZnPh2 and [18]crown-6. In [K([18]crown-6)][Rb([18]crown-6)]2[HGe4ZnPh2]·8NH3 (1) one ZnPh2 molecule and one H atom are bound to opposite, significantly elongated edges of a distorted Ge4 tetrahedron. DFT calculations confirm the experimentally found interatomic distances and reveal a structural proof of a three-center two-electron Ge-H-Ge bond.

[SnBi3 ]5- -A Carbonate Analogue Comprising Exclusively Metal Atoms.

The new [SnBi3 ]5- polyanion is obtained by the reaction of K3 Bi2 with K4 Sn9 or K12 Sn17 in liquid ammonia. The anion is iso(valence)electronic with and structurally analogous to the carbonate ion. Despite the high negative charge of the anion, the Sn-Bi bond lengths range between single and double bonds. Quantum-chemical calculations at a DFT-PBE0/def2-TZVPP/COSMO level of theory reveal that the partial double bond character between the heavy main-group atoms Bi and Sn originates from a delocalized π-electronic system. The structure of the anion is determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of the compounds K5 [SnBi3 ] 9 NH3 (1) and K9 [K(18-crown-6)][SnBi3 ]2 ⋅15 NH3 (2). The [SnBi3 ]5- unit is the first example of a carbonate-like anion obtained from solution, and it consists exclusively of metal atoms and completes the series of metal analogues of CO and CO2 .

Derivatization of Phosphine Ligands with Bulky Deltahedral Zintl Clusters-Synthesis of Charge Neutral Zwitterionic Tetrel Cluster Compounds [(Ge9{Si(TMS)3}2)tBu2P]M(NHCDipp) (M: Cu, Ag, Au).

Reactions of silylated clusters [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}3]- or [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}2]2- with dialkylhalophosphines R2PCl (Cy, iPr, tBu) at ambient temperature yield the first tetrel Zintl cluster compounds bearing phosphine moieties. Varying reactivity of the dialkylhalophosphines toward the silylated clusters is observed depending on the bulkiness of the phosphine's alkyl substituents and on the number of hypersilyl groups at the tetrel cluster. Reactions between phosphines with small cyclohexyl- (Cy) or isopropyl- (iPr) groups and the tris-silylated cluster [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}3]- yield the novel neutral cluster compounds [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}3PR2] (R: Cy (1), iPr (2)) with discrete Ge-P exo bonds. By contrast, the bulkier phosphine tBu2PCl does not react with [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}3]- due to steric crowding. However, the reaction with the bis-silylated cluster [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}2]2- yields the novel cluster compound [Ge9{Si(TMS)3}2PtBu2]- (3). Subsequent reactions of compound 3 with NHCDippMCl (M: Cu, Ag, Au) yield the charge neutral zwitterionic compounds [(Ge9{Si(TMS)3}2)tBu2P]M(NHCDipp) (M: Cu, Ag, Au) (4-6), in which compound 3 acts as a phosphine ligand bearing a bulky tetrel Zintl cluster moiety. Compounds 4-6 also represent the first uncharged examples for 3-fold substituted tetrel Zintl clusters.