Ting Ou

Observation and characterization of the smallest borospherene, B28− and B28

Free-standing boron nanocages or borospherenes have been observed recently for B40(-) and B40. There is evidence that a family of borospherenes may exist. However, the smallest borospherene is still not known. Here, we report experimental and computational evidence of a seashell-like borospherene cage for B28(-) and B28. Photoelectron spectrum of B28(-) indicated contributions from different isomers. Theoretical calculations showed that the seashell-like B28(-) borospherene is competing for the global minimum with a planar isomer and it is shown to be present in the cluster beam, contributing to the observed photoelectron spectrum. The seashell structure is found to be the global minimum for neutral B28 and the B28(-) cage represents the smallest borospherene observed to date. It is composed of two triangular close-packed B15 sheets, interconnected via the three corners by sharing two boron atoms. The B28 borospherene was found to obey the 2(n + 1)(2) electron-counting rule for spherical aromaticity.

Photoelectron spectroscopy of B4O4−: Dual 3c-4e π hyperbonds and rhombic 4c-4e o-bond in boron oxide clusters

Gas-phase anion photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is combined with global structural searches and electronic structure calculations at the hybrid Becke 3-parameter exchange functional and Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional (B3LYP) and single-point coupled-cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)) levels to probe the structural and electronic properties and chemical bonding of the B4O4 (0/-) clusters. The measured PES spectra of B4O4 (-) exhibit a major band with the adiabatic and vertical detachment energies (ADE and VDE) of 2.64 ± 0.10 and 2.81 ± 0.10 eV, respectively, as well as a weak peak with the ADE and VDE of 1.42 ± 0.08 and 1.48 ± 0.08 eV. The former band proves to correspond to the Y-shaped global minimum of Cs B4O4 (-) ((2)A″), with the calculated ADE/VDE of 2.57/2.84 eV at the CCSD(T) level, whereas the weak band is associated with the second lowest-energy, rhombic isomer of D2h B4O4 (-) ((2)B2g) with the predicted ADE/VDE of 1.43/1.49 eV. Both anion structures are planar, featuring a B atom or a B2O2 core bonded with terminal BO and/or BO2 groups. The same Y-shaped and rhombic structures are also located for the B4O4 neutral cluster, albeit with a reversed energy order. Bonding analyses reveal dual three-center four-electron (3c-4e) π hyperbonds in the Y-shaped B4O4 (0/-) clusters and a four-center four-electron (4c-4e) π bond, that is, the so-called o-bond in the rhombic B4O4 (0/-) clusters. This work is the first experimental study on a molecular system with an o-bond.

Planar dicyclic B6S6, B6S6−, and B6S62− clusters: Boron sulfide analogues of naphthalene

Inorganic analogues of hydrocarbons or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of current interest in chemistry. Based upon global structural searches and B3LYP and CCSD(T) calculations, we present herein the perfectly planar dicyclic boron sulfide clusters: D2h B6S6 (1, (1)Ag), D2h B6S6(-) (2, (2)B3u), and D2h B6S6(2-) (3, (1)Ag). These are the global minima of the systems, being at least 0.73, 0.81, and 0.53 eV lower in energy, respectively, than their alternative isomers at the CCSD(T) level. The D2h structures feature twin B3S2 five-membered rings, which are fused together via a B2 unit and terminated by two BS groups. Bonding analyses show that the closed-shell B6S6(2-) (3) cluster possesses 10 delocalized π electrons, closely analogous to the bonding pattern of the aromatic naphthalene C10H8. The B6S6(-) (2) and B6S6 (1) species are readily obtained upon removal of one or two π electrons from B6S6(2-) (3). The results build a new analogous relationship between boron sulfide clusters and their PAH counterparts. The B6S6(-) (2) monoanion and B6S6(2-) (3) dianion can be effectively stabilized in neutral LiB6S6 and Li2B6S6 salts, respectively.

Structures and chemical bonding of B3O3−/0 and B3O3H−/0: A combined photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles theory study

We present a combined photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles theory study on the structural and electronic properties and chemical bonding of B3O3 (-/0) and B3O3H(-/0) clusters. The concerted experimental and theoretical data show that the global-minimum structures of B3O3 and B3O3H neutrals are very different from those of their anionic counterparts. The B3O3 (-) anion is characterized to possess a V-shaped OB-B-BO chain with overall C2 v symmetry (1A), in which the central B atom interacts with two equivalent boronyl (B≡O) terminals via B-B single bonds as well as with one O atom via a B=O double bond. The B3O3H(-) anion has a Cs (2A) structure, containing an asymmetric OB-B-OBO zig-zag chain and a terminal H atom interacting with the central B atom. In contrast, the C2 v (1a) global minimum of B3O3 neutral contains a rhombic B2O2 ring with one B atom bonded to a BO terminal and that of neutral B3O3H (2a) is also of C2 v symmetry, which is readily constructed from C2 v (1a) by attaching a H atom to the opposite side of the BO group. The H atom in B3O3H(-/0) (2A and 2a) prefers to interact terminally with a B atom, rather than with O. Chemical bonding analyses reveal a three-center four-electron (3c-4e) π hyperbond in the B3O3H(-) (2A) cluster and a four-center four-electron (4c-4e) π bond (that is, the so-called o-bond) in B3O3 (1a) and B3O3H (2a) neutral clusters.