Cation Disorder and Large Tetragonal Supercell Ordering in the Li-Rich Argyrodite LiZnSiS.

A tetragonal argyrodite with >7 mobile cations, LiZnSiS, is experimentally realized for the first time through solid state synthesis and exploration of the Li-Zn-Si-S phase diagram. The crystal structure of LiZnSiS was solved from high-resolution X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data and supported by solid-state NMR. LiZnSiS adopts a tetragonal 4 structure at room temperature with ordered Li and Zn positions and undergoes a transition above 411.

Activation of anionic redox in d transition metal chalcogenides by anion doping.

Expanding the chemical space for designing novel anionic redox materials from oxides to sulfides has enabled to better apprehend fundamental aspects dealing with cationic-anionic relative band positioning. Pursuing with chalcogenides, but deviating from cationic substitution, we here present another twist to our band positioning strategy that relies on mixed ligands with the synthesis of the LiTiSSe solid solution series. Through the series the electrochemical activity displays a bell shape variation that peaks at 260 mAh/g for the composition x = 0.

Bis-Calix[4]arenes: From Ligand Design to the Directed Assembly of a Metal-Organic Trigonal Antiprism.

Calix[4]arenes (C[4]s) are versatile platforms for the construction of polymetallic clusters containing paramagnetic metal ions. Synthetic modification at the C[4] methylene bridge allows for the design of bis-C[4]s that, depending on the linker employed, can be used to either dictate which clusters can be formed or direct the assembly of a new metal-organic polyhedron (MOP). The assembly resulting from the latter approach displays thermal stability and uptake of N2 or H2 gas, confirming that this is a viable route to the synthesis of new, functional supramolecular architectures.

Icosahedral metallacarborane/carborane species derived from 1,1'-bis(o-carborane).

Examples of singly-metallated derivatives of 1,1'-bis(o-carborane) have been prepared and spectroscopically and structurally characterised. Metallation of [7-(1'-1',2'-closo-C2B10H11)-7,8-nido-C2B9H10](2-) with a {Ru(p-cymene)}(2+) fragment affords both the unisomerised species [1-(1'-1',2'-closo-C2B10H11)-3-(p-cymene)-3,1,2-closo-RuC2B9H10] (2) and the isomerised [8-(1'-1',2'-closo-C2B10H11)-2-(p-cymene)-2,1,8-closo-RuC2B9H10] (3), and 2 is easily transformed into 3 with mild heating. Metallation with a preformed {CoCp}(2+) fragment also affords a 3,1,2-MC2B9-1',2'-C2B10 product [1-(1'-1',2'-closo-C2B10H11)-3-Cp-3,1,2-closo-CoC2B9H10] (4), but if CoCl2/NaCp is used followed by oxidation the result is the 2,1,8-CoC2B9-1',2'-C2B10 species [8-(1'-1',2'-closo-C2B10H11)-2-Cp-2,1,8-closo-CoC2B9H10] (5).