A general method for accessing the solution chemistry of cluster
constituents of solid phases exhibiting
extended cluster frameworks is demonstrated. The approach is
described in terms of simple metal−anion (M−X)
frameworks and involves the formal incorporation of AX into a parent
structure, resulting in termination of the X
bridges between M centers while balancing the charge of the resulting
framework with external cations A. The new
structures obtained display frameworks of reduced connectedness and
dimensionality. By replacing single metal
centers with multinuclear cluster cores, this dimensional reduction
approach is extended to cluster-containing
frameworks. Its utility is demonstrated via application to the
phases Re6Q8Cl2 (Q = S, Se),
exhibiting three- and
two-dimensional arrays of face-capped octahedral
[Re6(μ3-Q)8]2+
cluster cores covalently linked through extremely
tight Re2Q2 rhombic interactions of the type
common to many intractable cluster frameworks (including the
Chevrel
phases). Stoichiometric solid-state reactions incorporating TlCl
supplement the cores with additional terminal ligands,
producing less connected frameworks: two-dimensional
[Re6Se8Cl3]1-
sheets, one-dimensional
[Re6Q8Cl4]2-
chains,
and ultimately, isolated
[Re6Q8Cl6]4-
clusters. The connectivities for such
[M6Q8] frameworks are enumerated;
of
the 28 possibilities, three previously unknown frameworks are achieved
in the structures of
TlRe6Se8Cl3,
CsRe6Se8I3, and
Cs2Re6Se8Br4,
described herein. Alternatively, employing cesium halide as a
dimensional reduction agent
directly provides the unprecedented molecular clusters in water-soluble
form as the phases
Cs5Re6S8X7 (X =
Cl,
Br), Cs6Re6S8I8,
and
Cs4Re6Se8I6.
The species
[Re6S8X6]4- (X =
Cl, Br, I) are precipitated from aqueous base upon
addition of (Bu4N)X to give the soluble molecular products
(Bu4N)4[Re6S8Cl6],
(Bu4N)4[Re6S8Br6]·H2O,
and (Bu4N)4[Re6S8I6]·H2O.
Treatment of yellow acetonitrile solutions of these compounds with
anhydrous acid induces an
immediate color change to red owing to the formation of the protonated
clusters
[Re6S7(SH)X6]3-.
Reversible uptake
of a single proton is confirmed by the single-crystal X-ray structure
determinations of
(Bu4N)3[Re6S7(SH)Cl6],
(Bu4N)3[Re6S7(SH)Br6]·2Me2CO,
and
(Bu4N)3[Re6S7(SH)I6]·2Me2CO,
as well as spectrophotometric titrations and
elemental analyses. The pK
a of
[Re6S7(SH)Br6]3-
in acetonitrile is estimated at 20. An analogous workup of
red
Cs4Re6Se8I6
affords
(Bu4N)3[Re6Se7(SeH)I6]·2Me2CO.