Zachary A. Piazza

Observation of an all-boron fullerene

After the discovery of fullerene-C60, it took almost two decades for the possibility of boron-based fullerene structures to be considered. So far, there has been no experimental evidence for these nanostructures, in spite of the progress made in theoretical investigations of their structure and bonding. Here we report the observation, by photoelectron spectroscopy, of an all-boron fullerene-like cage cluster at B40(-) with an extremely low electron-binding energy. Theoretical calculations show that this arises from a cage structure with a large energy gap, but that a quasi-planar isomer of B40(-) with two adjacent hexagonal holes is slightly more stable than the fullerene structure. In contrast, for neutral B40 the fullerene-like cage is calculated to be the most stable structure. The surface of the all-boron fullerene, bonded uniformly via delocalized σ and π bonds, is not perfectly smooth and exhibits unusual heptagonal faces, in contrast to C60 fullerene.

Planar hexagonal B 36 as a potential basis for extended single-atom layer boron sheets

Boron is carbons neighbour in the periodic table and has similar valence orbitals. However, boron cannot form graphene-like structures with a honeycomb hexagonal framework because of its electron deficiency. Computational studies suggest that extended boron sheets with partially filled hexagonal holes are stable; however, there has been no experimental evidence for such atom-thin boron nanostructures. Here, we show experimentally and theoretically that B36 is a highly stable quasiplanar boron cluster with a central hexagonal hole, providing the first experimental evidence that single-atom layer boron sheets with hexagonal vacancies are potentially viable. Photoelectron spectroscopy of B36(-) reveals a relatively simple spectrum, suggesting a symmetric cluster. Global minimum searches for B36(-) lead to a quasiplanar structure with a central hexagonal hole. Neutral B36 is the smallest boron cluster to have sixfold symmetry and a perfect hexagonal vacancy, and it can be viewed as a potential basis for extended two-dimensional boron sheets.

B22- and B23-: all-boron analogues of anthracene and phenanthrene.

Clusters of boron atoms exhibit intriguing size-dependent structures and chemical bonding that are different from bulk boron and may lead to new boron-based nanostructures. We report a combined photoelectron spectroscopic and ab initio study of the 22- and 23-atom boron clusters. The joint experimental and theoretical investigation shows that B(22)(-) and B(23)(-) possess quasi-planar and planar structures, respectively. The quasi-planar B(22)(-) consists of fourteen peripheral atoms and eight interior atoms in a slightly buckled triangular lattice. Chemical bonding analyses of the closed-shell B(22)(2-) species reveal seven delocalized π orbitals, which are similar to those in anthracene. B(23)(-) is a perfectly planar and heart-shaped cluster with a pentagonal cavity and a π-bonding pattern similar to that in phenanthrene. Thus, B(22)(-) and B(23)(-), the largest negatively charged boron clusters that have been characterized experimentally to date, can be viewed as all-boron analogues of anthracene and phenanthrene, respectively. The current work shows not only that boron clusters are planar at very large sizes but also that they continue to yield surprises and novel chemical bonding analogous to specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

A photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study of B21−: Negatively charged boron clusters continue to be planar at 21

The structures and chemical bonding of the B(21)(-) cluster have been investigated by a combined photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study. The photoelectron spectrum at 193 nm revealed a very high adiabatic electron binding energy of 4.38 eV for B(21)(-) and a congested spectral pattern. Extensive global minimum searches were conducted using two different methods, followed by high-level calculations of the low-lying isomers. The global minimum of B(21)(-) was found to be a quasiplanar structure with the next low-lying planar isomer only 1.9 kcal/mol higher in energy at the CCSD(T)/6-311-G* level of theory. The calculated vertical detachment energies for the two isomers were found to be in good agreement with the experimental spectrum, suggesting that they were both present experimentally and contributed to the observed spectrum. Chemical bonding analyses showed that both isomers consist of a 14-atom periphery, which is bonded by classical two-center two-electron bonds, and seven interior atoms in the planar structures. A localized two-center two-electron bond is found in the interior of the two planar isomers, in addition to delocalized multi-center σ and π bonds. The structures and the delocalized bonding of the two lowest lying isomers of B(21)(-) were found to be similar to those in the two lowest energy isomers in B(19)(-).

Transition-metal-centered nine-membered boron rings: MⓒB9 and MⓒB9(-) (M = Rh, Ir).

We report the observation of two transition-metal-centered nine-atom boron rings, RhⓒB(9)(-) and IrⓒB(9)(-). These two doped-boron clusters are produced in a laser-vaporization supersonic molecular beam and characterized by photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. Large HOMO-LUMO gaps are observed in the anion photoelectron spectra, suggesting that neutral RhⓒB(9) and IrⓒB(9) are highly stable, closed shell species. Theoretical calculations show that RhⓒB(9) and IrⓒB(9) are of D(9h) symmetry. Chemical bonding analyses reveal that these complexes are doubly aromatic, each with six completely delocalized π and σ electrons, which describe the bonding between the central metal atom and the boron ring. This work establishes firmly the metal-doped B rings as a new class of novel aromatic molecular wheels.

A combined photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study of the quasi-planar B24 − cluster

The structure and chemical bonding of the 24-atom boron cluster are investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. The joint experimental and theoretical investigation shows that B24(-) possesses a quasi-planar structure containing fifteen outer and nine inner atoms with six of the inner atoms forming a filled pentagonal moiety. The central atom of the pentagonal moiety is puckered out of plane by 0.9 Å, reminiscent of the six-atom pentagonal caps of the well-known B12 icosahedral unit. The next closest isomer at the ROCCSD(T) level of theory has a tubular double-ring structure. Comparison of the simulated spectra with the experimental data shows that the global minimum quasi-planar B24(-) isomer is the major contributor to the observed photoelectron spectrum, while the tubular isomer has no contribution to the experiment. Chemical bonding analyses reveal that the periphery of the quasi-planar B24 constitutes 15 classical 2c-2e B-B σ-bonds, whereas delocalized σ- and π-bonds are found in the interior of the cluster with one unique 6c-2e π-bond responsible for bonding in the B-centered pentagon. The current work suggests that the 24-atom boron cluster continues to be quasi-2D, albeit the tendency to form filled pentagonal units, characteristic of 3D cage-like structures of bulk boron, is observed.

Complexes between Planar Boron Clusters and Transition Metals: A Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Ab Initio Study of CoB12– and RhB12–

Small boron clusters are known to be planar, and may be used as ligands to form novel coordination complexes with transition metals. Here we report a combined photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study of CoB12(-) and RhB12(-). Photoelectron spectra of the two doped-B12 clusters show similar spectral patterns, suggesting they have similar structures. Global minimum searches reveal that both CoB12(-) and RhB12(-) possess half-sandwich-type structures with the quasi-planar B12 moiety coordinating to the metal atom. The B12 ligand is found to have similar structure as the bare B12 cluster with C3v symmetry. Structures with Co or Rh inserted into the quasi-planar boron framework are found to be much higher in energy. Chemical bonding analyses of the two B12 half sandwiches reveal two sets of σ bonds on the boron unit: nine classical two-center-two-electron (2c-2e) σ bonds on the periphery of the B12 unit and four 3c-2e σ bonds within the boron unit. Both σ and π bonds are found between the metal and the B12 ligand: three M-B single σ bonds and one delocalized 4c-2e π bond. The exposed metal sites in these complexes can be further coordinated by other ligands or become reaction centers as model catalysts.

A photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio study of the structures and chemical bonding of the B25− cluster

Photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations are used to investigate the structures and chemical bonding of the B25(-) cluster. Global minimum searches reveal a dense potential energy landscape with 13 quasi-planar structures within 10 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d) level of theory. Three quasi-planar isomers (I, II, and III) are lowest in energy and nearly degenerate at the CCSD(T) level of theory, with II and III being 0.8 and 0.9 kcal/mol higher, respectively, whereas at two density functional levels of theory isomer III is the lowest in energy (8.4 kcal/mol more stable than I at PBE0/6-311+G(2df) level). Comparison with experimental photoelectron spectroscopic data shows isomer II to be the major contributor while isomers I and III cannot be ruled out as minor contributors to the observed spectrum. Theoretical analyses reveal similar chemical bonding in I and II, both involving peripheral 2c-2e B-B σ-bonding and delocalized interior σ- and π-bonding. Isomer III has an interesting elongated ribbon-like structure with a π-bonding pattern analogous to those of dibenzopentalene. The high density of low-lying isomers indicates the complexity of the medium-sized boron clusters; the method dependency of predicting relative energies of the low-lying structures for B25(-) suggests the importance of comparison with experiment in determining the global minima of boron clusters at this size range. The appearance of many low-lying quasi-planar structures containing a hexagonal hole in B25(-) suggests the importance of this structural feature in maintaining planarity of larger boron clusters.

B27−: Appearance of the smallest planar boron cluster containing a hexagonal vacancy

Photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations have been carried out to probe the structures and chemical bonding of the B27 (-) cluster. Comparison between the experimental spectrum and the theoretical results reveals a two-dimensional (2D) global minimum with a triangular lattice containing a tetragonal defect (I) and two low-lying 2D isomers (II and III), each with a hexagonal vacancy. All three 2D isomers have 16 peripheral boron atoms and 11 inner boron atoms. Isomer I is shown to be mainly responsible for the observed photoelectron spectrum with isomers II and III as minor contributors. Chemical bonding analyses of these three isomers show that they all feature 16 localized peripheral B-B σ-bonds. Additionally, isomer I possesses 16 delocalized σ bonds and nine delocalized π bonds, while isomers II and III each contain 17 delocalized σ bonds and eight delocalized π bonds. It is found that the hexagonal vacancy is associated generally with an increase of delocalized σ bonds at the expense of delocalized π bonds in 2D boron clusters. The hexagonal vacancy, characteristic of borophenes, is found to be a general structural feature for mid-sized boron clusters. The current study shows that B27 (-) is the first boron cluster, where a hexagonal vacancy appears among the low-lying isomers accessible experimentally.

The electronic structure and chemical bonding in gold dihydride: AuH2− and AuH2

We report an investigation of the electronic structure and chemical bonding of AuH2− using photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. We obtained vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectra of AuH2− at several photon energies. Six electronic states of AuH2 were observed and assigned according to the theoretical calculations. The ground state of AuH2− is known to be linear, while that of neutral AuH2 is bent with a ∠H–Au–H equilibrium bond angle of 129°. This large geometry change results in a very broad bending vibrational progression in the photoelectron spectra for the ground-state transition. The electron affinity of AuH2 is measured to be 3.030 ± 0.020 eV. A short bending vibrational progression is also observed in the second photodetachment band, suggesting a slightly bent structure for the first excited state of AuH2. The linear geometry is a saddle point for the ground and first excited states of AuH2, resulting in double-well potentials for these states along the bending coordinate. Spectroscopic evidence is observed for the detachment transitions to the double-well potentials of the ground and first excited states of AuH2. Higher excited states of AuH2 due to detachment from the nonbonding Au 5d electrons are all linear, similar to the anion ground state. Kohn–Sham molecular orbital analyses reveal surprising participation of H 2p orbitals in the Au–H chemical bonding and an unprecedented weak Au 5dπ to H 2pπ back donation. The simplicity of the linear AuH2− anion and its novel spectroscopic features make it a textbook example for understanding the covalent bonding properties and relativistic effects of Au.