The reactivity of group 15 Zintl ions, E₇^3– (E = P, As), towards a number of transition and post-transition metal reagents has been studied. The synthesis and characterisation of the resulting novel cluster anions are described herein. The reactions of E₇^3– with [Cu₅(mes)₅], MPh₂ (M = Zn, Cd) and InPh₃ yielded the Cu–Cu bridged species [Cu₂(E₇)₂]^4– (E = P, As), the group 12 bridged cluster anions [M(E₇)₂]^4– (M = Zn: E = P, As; M= Cd: E = P), and the In-functionalised Zintl ions [E₇InPh<sub>2<sub>]^2–, respectively. P₇^3– and As₇^3– have been found to react with a number of metal salts, namely [M(nbe)₃][SbF₆] and MCl (M = Ag, Au), InCl₃, TlCl and MI₂ (M = Sn, Pb). These reactions formed the Ag–Ag and Au–Au bridged complexes [M₂(HP₇)₂]^2– (M = Ag, Au), the In-bridged species [In(E₇)₂]^3– (E = P, As), the Tl-derivatised Zintl ions [TlE₇]^2– (E = P, As), and the sixteen vertex cluster anions [ME₁₅]^3– (M = Sn, Pb; E = P, As). The reactivity of P₇^3– towards a series of group 8 compounds has also been studied. The reactions of P₇^3– with FeCl₂ and [Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂] produced [M(HP₇)₂]^2- (M = Fe, Ru). NMR studies showed that these species can be deprotonated to form [M(P₇)₂]^4– (M = Fe, Ru). These Fe and Ru complexes are isoelectronic with ferrocene. In addition, P₇^3– reacts with [Ru(COD)(η³-CH₂C(CH₃)CH₂)₂] to form [(C₄H₇)P₇Ru(COD)]^2–. Both P₇^3– and As₇^3– undergo transition metal mediated activation reactions in the presence of [Co(PEt₂Ph₂)(mes)₂], yielding [Co(η⁵-P₅){η²-HP₂(mes)}]^2– and [Co([η³-As₃){η⁴-As₄(mes)₂}]^2–, respectively.

This thesis presents electronic structure calculations on problems related to the bonding in inorganic coordination compounds and clusters. A wide range of molecules with the ability to exist in different structural forms or electronic states has been selected and density functional theory is systematically applied in order to gain detailed insight into their characteristics and reactivity at the electronic level. First, we address the question of redox non-innocent behaviour of bipyridine in a series of 1st row transition metal complexes. Complexes of the type [M(2,2'-bipyridine)(mes)₂]⁰ (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni; mes = 2,4,6-Me₃C6H₂) and their one-electron reduced forms have been explored. The results clearly show that the anions are best described as complexes of the monoanionic bipyridine radical (S_bpy = 1/2), giving a rationale for the observed structural changes within the ligand. Likewise, we have identified dianionic bipyridine in both the complexes [Zn2(4,4'-bpy)(mes)₄]²⁻ and [Fe(2,2'-bpy)₂]²⁻. In no case have we found evidence for significant metal-to-ligand backbonding. The subject of redox-noninnocence is further revisited in a comparative study of the two complexes [M(o-Clpap)₃] (M = Cr, Mo; o-Clpap = 2-[(2-chloro-phenyl)azo]-pyridine), and their associated electron transfer series. The results indicate that all electron transfer processes are primarily ligand-based, although in the case of the Mo analogue these are coupled to substantial electron density changes at the metal. The ability of pap to form radical anions finds a contrasting case in the di- nuclear Rh complex [Rh₂(μ-p-Clpap)₂ (cod)Cl₂], where the two ligand bridges act as acceptors of strong dπ∗ backbonding from a formally Rh^–I centre. We then direct our attention to the endohedral Zintl clusters [Fe@Ge₁₀]³⁻ and [Mn@Pb₁₂]³⁻, which reveal peculiar topologies. We have probed the electronic factors that influence their geometric preferences, and propose a model based on the shift of electron density from the endo- hedral metal to the cage to account for the observed geometries. Subsequently, we reassess the electronic structure of the xenophilic clusters Mn₂(thf)₄(Fe(CO)₄)₂ and [Mn(Mn(thf)₂)₃(Mn(CO)₄)₃]^–. We conclude that these are best viewed as exchange coupled Mn^II centres bridged by closed- shell carbonylate fragments. In the closing chapter the reduction of NO₂^– to NO by the complex [Cu(tct)(NO₂)]⁺ (tct = cis,cis-1,3,5-tris(cinnamylideneamino)cyclohexane) is studied, a process that mimics the enzyme-catalysed reaction. Two viable pathways for the reaction have been traced and key inter-mediates identified. Both direct release of NO or via decomposition of a Cu-NO complex are kinetically and thermodynamically feasible.

This PhD thesis presents investigations of hydrogen incorporation in Zintl phases and transition metal oxides. Hydrogenous Zintl phases can serve as important model systems for fundamental studies of hydrogen-metal interactions, while at the same time hydrogen-induced chemical structure and physical property changes provide exciting prospects for materials science. Hydrogen incorporation in transition metal oxides leads to oxyhydride systems in which O and H together form an anionic substructure. The H species in transition metal oxides may be highly mobile, making these materials interesting precursors toward other mixed anion systems.  Zintl phases consist of an active metal, M (alkali, alkaline earth or rare earth) and a more electronegative p-block metal or semimetal component, E (Al, Ga, Si, Ge, etc.). When Zintl phases react with hydrogen, they can either form polyanionic hydrides or interstitial hydrides, undergo full hydrogenations to complex hydrides, or oxidative decomposition to more E-rich Zintl phases. The Zintl phases investigated here comprised the CaSi2, Eu3Si4, ASi (A= K, Rb) and GdGa systems which were hydrogenated at various temperature, H2 pressure, and dwelling time conditions. For CaSi2, a regular phase transition from the conventional 6R to the rare 3R took place and no hydride formation was observed. In contrast, GdGa and Eu3Si4 were very susceptible to hydrogen uptake. Already at temperatures below 100 ºC the formation of hydrides GdGaH2-x and Eu3Si4H2+x was observed. The magnetic properties of the hydrides (antiferromagnetic) differ radically from that of the Zintl phase precursor (ferromagnetic). Upon hydrogenating ASi at temperatures around 100 oC, silanides ASiH3 formed which contain discrete complex ion units SiH3-. The much complicated β – α order-disorder phase transition in ASiH3 was evaluated with neutron powder diffraction (NPD), 2H NMR and heat capacity measurements.  A systematic study of the hydride reduction of BaTiO3 leading to perovskite oxyhydrides BaTiO3-xHx was done. A broad range of reducing agents including NaH, MgH2, CaH2, LiAlH4 and NaBH4 was employed and temperature and dwelling conditions for hydride reduction examined. Samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermal gravimetric analysis and 1H NMR. The concentration of H that can be incorporated in BaTiO3-xHx was found to be very low, which is in contrast with earlier reports. Instead hydride reduction leads to a high concentration of O vacancies in the reduced BaTiO3. The highly O-deficient, disordered, phases - BaTiO3-xHy□(x-y) with x up to 0.6 and y in a range 0.05 – 0.2 and (x-y) &gt; y – are cubic and may represent interesting materials with respect to electron and ion transport as well as catalysis. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

In this thesis, first-principles calculations based on density functional theory have been employed to investigate metal hydrogen interaction in transition, p-block and rare earth metals. Furthermore, the accuracy of the stochastic quenching method was tested in describing the structure of amorphous Fe(1-x)Zrx. The investigated systems of transition metal hydrides are V-H and ScZr(CoNi)2-H. For V-H, the main focus of the studies is the effect that strain has on the potential energy landscape which governs the metal hydrogen interactions. The investigation has focused on how the properties of hydrogen occupancy in the interstitial sites changes with strain and also how the hydrogen atoms themselves exert strain on the vanadium structure to lower the energy. Results on diffusion, induced strain and zero-point energy are presented which all reveal the considerable difference between tetrahedral and octahedral site occupancy. Diffusion was studied by employing ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to obtain diffusion coefficients and to map the movement of the hydrogen atom. A description of hydrogen in vanadium is provided from a fundamental basis that is expected to be applicable to any lattice gas system. For ScZr(CoNi)2-H, the difference of hydrogen occupancy in various interstitial sites and the hydrogen-induced strain was also investigated through calculations of the change in total volume as a function of hydrogen concentration. The fundamental properties of metal hydrogen bonding were investigated by studying the Zintl phase hydrides that are constituted of the electropositive metal of Nd or Gd and the electronegative metal Ga. Mixing metals of very different electronegativity gives rise to an intricate potential energy landscape in which the incorporation of hydrogen will have a big effect on both the electronic and atomic structure. From the theoretical side of the investigation, structural parameters are presented along with the density of states and Bader charge analysis to describe the hydrogen induced changes to the atomic and electronic structures. Finally, the accuracy of the stochastic quenching method in describing amorphous Fe(1-x)Zrx was evaluated by comparing simulated and measured EXAFS spectra. Once the structural agreement had been established the simulated structures were characterized through radial distribution functions and an analysis of the short-range order from Voronoi tessellation. The structural changes with respect to the composition parameter x were also evaluated.

The group 14 Zintl clusters [E₉]⁴⁻ (E = Ge, Sn, Pb) have been reacted with organometallic reagents in solution in the presence of alkali metal cation sequestering agents. The synthesis, characterisation and reactivity studies of the resultant complexes are reported herein. These negatively charged clusters reductively cleave one of the M–C bonds in the group 12 homoleptic organometallic reagents MR₂ (M = Zn, Cd; R = Ph, mes, ⁱPr) to yield η⁴-coordinated functionalised clusters closo-[E₉MR]³⁻. They can also activate both of the M–C bonds in Cd(mes)₂ to form metal-bridged dimers [Ge₉CdGe₉]⁶⁻ and [Pb₉CdCdPb₉]⁶⁻. Investigating the reactivity of the functionalised cluster [E₉CdPh]³⁻ (E = Sn, Pb) towards HSn(ⁿBu)₃ results in the synthesis of the novel closo-clusters [E₉CdSn(ⁿBu)₃]³⁻. The reaction of K₄Ge₉ with the heteroleptic organometallic reagent Fe(COT)(CO)₃ yields the metalated cluster anion [Ge₈Fe(CO)₃]³⁻, in which the nuclearity of the Zintl anion is altered upon coordination of the [Fe(CO)₃] moiety. Two side products have also been isolated as [K(2,2,2-crypt)]⁺ salts of [Fe(η³-C₈H₈)(CO)₃]⁻ and [Fe₂(η³, η′³-C<sub<16</sub<H₁₆)(CO)₆]²⁻. In the presence of highly reduced Zintl anions, all the M–C bonds in homoleptic mid-row transition metal organometallic reagents can also be cleaved. These ‘naked’ metal atoms have templated the formation of the endohedral clusters [Fe@Ge₁₀]³⁻, [Fe@Sn₁₀]³⁻ and [Mn@Pb₁₂]³⁻. These clusters adopt very different geometries and the electronic origin of their structures has been investigated in-depth by DFT calculations. Structural characterisation of some side products is also reported for: [E₉(mes)]³⁻ (E = Ge, Sn) and [Ge₉Mn(mes)]³⁻.

With the aim of finding alternative reaction media for the synthesis of subvalent main group and transition metal cluster compounds, traditionally made through solid state reactions or in superacidic media, different alternative reaction media have been explored in this work. Room-temperature ionic liquids are amongst the more unconventional reaction media used. The syntheses performed have been aimed at both anionic and cationic cluster and the main tools used for characterization have been different X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. Selected ionic liquids have along with dichloromethane been shown to work as alternative reaction media for room temperature synthesis of the Bi5[GaCl4]3 salt. The salt containing the subvalent naked bismuth polycation Bi5 3+ was isolated from reduction reactions of BiCl3 in Ga/GaCl3-dichloromethane respectively Ga/GaCl3-ioinc liquid media. Three different classes of ionic liquids based on phosphonium-, imidazolium- and pyrrolidinium- salts have been used in synthesis. Homopolyatomic clusters from the lighter Group 15 element arsenic have also been studied. Solutions from the oxidative and reductive reaction routes of arsenic and AsCl3 in Lewis acidic toluene media were studied by EXAFS spectroscopy. The results were evaluated using molecular dynamics simulations of arsenic clusters. A discussion on how the calculated As4 cluster model relates to the experimental data resulted from this study. In terms of homopolyatomic anionic clusters the [K+(2,2,2-crypt)]2Ge9 2- compound containing the naked Ge9 2- anionic cluster has been isolated. The crystallographic investigation of [K+(2,2,2-crypt)]2Ge9 2- shows Zintl cluster anion Ge9 2- to be tricapped trigonal-prismatic with a symmetry very close to D3h. A chemical bonding analysis reveals two local minima of D3h symmetry and the cluster interaction scheme to be based on highly delocalised bonding. Ligand supported transition metal clusters from tungsten and palladium have also been prepared. Reduction of WCl6 in a reaction mixture of ionic liquid and co-solvent toluene resulted in tritungsten decachloride; W3Cl10(MeCN)3, being formed. Furthermore, palladium sandwich compounds; [Pd2(Ga2Cl7)(C7H8)2], [Pd2(GaCl4)(C9H12)2]∙C9H12 and [Pd2(Ga2Cl7)(C6H5Cl)2] have been prepared using GaCl3-arene reaction media. / <p>QC 20121212</p>

The atomic dynamics in liquids is still a challenging subject. The objective of this thesis was to study how the dynamics depends on the TYPE of the atomic interaction. Dynamic properties extracted from inelastic neutron scattering experiments on three binary systems clearly show a discontinous behaviour in the transition from a pure metallic to an ionic and partly covalent bonding regime. Further, results of Monte-Carlo simulations of a new type of spectrometer, a Neutron-Brillouin-Spectrometer, that is currently under construction, are presented. / In dieser Arbeit wurde der Einfluss der Art der zwischenatomaren Wechselwirkung auf die atomare Dynamik in Fluessigkeiten untersucht. Dafuer wurden geeignete binaere Systeme ausgewaehlt und deren Dichtefluktuationen mittels unelastischer Neutronenstreuung gemessen. Neben den teilweise bekannten strukturellen Veraenderungen, die beim Uebergang von rein metallischen zu ionischen und teilweise kovalenten Bindungen auftreten, konnten vor allem die Auswirkungen wechselnder Bindungsverhaeltnisse auf eine Reihe dynamischer Eigenschaften nachgewiesen werden. Besonders hervorzuheben sind dabei der Nachweis eines Hochfrequenzbandes im Frequenzspektrum des fluessigen RbSb sowie in den fluessigen Na-Sn Legierungen die Aufspaltung der aus der longitudinalen Stromkorrelationsfunktion abgeleiteten Dispersion in zwei Baender, die die verschiedenartige Dynamik der unterschiedlich schweren Komponenten widerspiegeln. Desweiteren werden in dieser Arbeit Ergebnisse umfangreicher Monte-Carlo Simulationen fuer ein im Bau befindliches neuartiges Neutronen-Brillouin-Spektrometer vorgestellt.

The search of materials relevant for thermoelectric and magnetocaloric applications, as well as materials that interact with light, is an important aspect of the materials science. Such materials can be used for solid-state power generation and refrigeration, as light sources, detectors, or controllers. Intermetallic clathrates have long been of interest for the materials science research. The promise these materials hold for useful applications ranges from thermoelectrics to photovoltaics and optoelectronics to potentially ultra-hard materials and magnetic cooling applications. Their unique physical properties are intimately related to their intriguing structural properties. Thus a fundamental understanding of the chemistry and physics of inorganic clathrates offers the possibility to assess their potential for use in the various applications mentioned above. In this work the selective, phase pure, single-crystal growth of AxSi46 and AySi136 (A = Na, K) intermetallic clathrates by the new vapor-phase intercalation method is presented. The approach appears promising for accessing regions of the equilibrium diagrams for Na-Si and K-Si clathrates that can be otherwise difficult to reach due to the greatly differing properties of the constituent elements. Physical properties of these materials were investigated in terms of single-crystal diffraction, electrical and thermal properties measurements. The synthesis and structural properties of single crystals of NaxSi136 are presented. A two-step synthetic approach was employed for the synthesis of NaxSi136 which also allowed for low temperature transport measurements of polycrystalline NaxSi136. The potential of the Eu8Ga16Ge30 type-I and VIII - EuO composites for magnetocaloric applications is discussed. The type-I clathrate - EuO composites hold promise for active magnetic refrigeration around 70 K.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2000--Dortmund. / Dateiformat: PDF.

Hydrogenation products of the Zintl phases AeTt (Ae = alkaline earth; Tt = tetrel) exhibit hydride anions on interstitial sites as well as hydrogen covalently bound to Tt which leads to a reversible hydrogenation at mild conditions. In situ thermal analysis, synchrotron and neutron powder diffraction under hydrogen (deuterium for neutrons) pressure was applied to BaTt (Tt=Ge, Sn). BaTtHy (1<y<1.67, γ-phases) were formed at 5 MPa hydrogen pressure and elevated temperatures (400–450 K). Further heating (500–550 K) leads to a hydrogen release forming the new phases β-BaGeH0.5 (Pnma, a=1319.5(2) pm, b=421.46(2) pm, c=991.54(7) pm) and α-BaSnH0.19 (Cmcm, a=522.72(6) pm, b=1293.6(2) pm, c=463.97(6) pm). Upon cooling the hydrogen rich phases are reformed. Thermal decomposition of γ-BaGeHy under vacuum leads to β-BaGeH0.5 and α-BaGeH0.13 [Cmcm, a=503.09(3) pm, b=1221.5(2) pm, c=427.38(4) pm]. At 500 K the reversible reaction α-BaGeH0.23 (vacuum)⇄β-BaGeH0.5 (0.2 MPa deuterium pressure) is fast and was observed with 10 s time resolution by in situ neutron diffraction. The phases α-BaTtHy show a pronounced phase width (at least 0.09<y<0.36). β-BaGeH0.5 and the γ-phases appear to be line phases. The hydrogen poor (α- and β-) phases show a partial occupation of Ba4 tetrahedra by hydride anions leading to a partial oxidation of polyanions and shortening of Tt–Tt bonds.