Understanding Boron through Size-Selected Clusters: Structure, Chemical Bonding, and Fluxionality

Boron is an interesting element with unusual polymorphism. While three-dimensional (3D) structural motifs are prevalent in bulk boron, atomic boron clusters are found to have planar or quasi-planar structures, stabilized by localized two-center-two-electron (2c-2e) σ bonds on the periphery and delocalized multicenter-two-electron (nc-2e) bonds in both σ and π frameworks. Electron delocalization is a result of boron's electron deficiency and leads to fluxional behavior, which has been observed in B13(+) and B19(-). A unique capability of the in-plane rotation of the inner atoms against the periphery of the cluster in a chosen direction by employing circularly polarized infrared radiation has been suggested.…

• BU
  Brown University
• WS
  Washington State University
• RU
  Rice University
• UO
  University of the Pacific
• WU
  Wuhan University
• PN
  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory