Realization of Lewis Basic Sodium Anion in the NaBH3− Cluster

Authors

Gaoxiang Liu, Johns Hopkins University
Nikita Fedik, Utah State UniversityFollow
Chalynette Martinez-Martinez, Johns Hopkins University
Sandra M. Ciborowski, Johns Hopkins University
Xingxing Zhang, Nankai University, China
Alexander I. Boldyrev, Utah State UniversityFollow
Kit H. Bowen, Johns Hopkins University

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title

Angewandte Chemie

Publication Date

7-16-2019

Publisher

Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

Award Number

NSF, Division of Chemistry (CHE) 1664379

Funder

NSF, Division of Chemistry (CHE)

Volume

131

Issue

39

First Page

13927

Last Page

13931

Abstract

We report a Na:⁻→B dative bond in the NaBH₃⁻ cluster, which was designed on the principle of minimum‐energy rupture, prepared by laser vaporization, and characterized by a synergy of anion photoelectron spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. The global minimum of NaBH₃⁻ features a Na−B bond. Its preferred heterolytic dissociation conforms with the IUPAC definition of dative bond. The lone electron pair revealed on Na and the negative Laplacian of electron density at the bond critical point further confirm the dative nature of the Na−B bond. This study represents the first example of a Lewis adduct with an alkalide as the Lewis base.

Recommended Citation

Liu, Gaoxiang, et al. “Realization of Lewis Basic Sodium Anion in the NaBH 3 − Cluster.” Angewandte Chemie, vol. 131, no. 39, Sept. 2019, pp. 13927–31. DOI.org (Crossref), doi:10.1002/ange.201907089.