On Close Parallels between the Zintl-Based Superatom Ge 9 Be and Chalcogen Elements

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry Vol. 60; no. 5; pp. 3196 - 3206
• Main Authors: Xue, Duomei, Wu, Di, Chen, Zeren, Li, Ying, Sun, WeiMing, Liu, Jingyao, Li, Zhiru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2021
• ISSN: 0020-1669; 1520-510X
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c03531

Ever since the concept of superatoms was brought forward in the 1990s, various specific types of clusters have been proposed to mimic atomic properties and enrich the "three-dimensional periodic table". In this work, a Zintl cluster, namely, Ge Be, has been certified eligible to join the superatom family, owing to its surprising similarity to chalcogen elements. Having 38 valence electrons, Ge Be has an intrinsic desire to gain two additional electrons to achieve electronic shell closure, in which its quasi-chalcogen identity roots. Like oxygen-group elements, Ge Be has the potential to form stable ionic compounds with lithium, beryllium, calcium, and superalkaline-earth atom FLi . On the other hand, the combination of Ge Be and the multiple valence superatom Al results in covalent compounds resembling carbon oxides. Close parallels have also been found between (Ge Be) -based compounds and common peroxides, further evidencing the superatom characteristics of Ge Be. This finding puts forward an almost perfect superatom counterpart of group VIA elements and opens the door to characteristics-oriented design and synthesis of stable superatom motifs by utilizing solid Zintl clusters.