Lithium-ion Mobility in Li6 B18 (Li3 N) and Li Vacancy Tuning in the Solid Solution Li6 B18 (Li3 N)1-x (Li2 O)x.

All-solid-state batteries are promising candidates for safe energy-storage systems due to non-flammable solid electrolytes and the possibility to use metallic lithium as an anode. Thus, there is a challenge to design new solid electrolytes and to understand the principles of ion conduction on an atomic scale. We report on a new concept for compounds with high lithium ion mobility based on a rigid open-framework boron structure. The host-guest structure Li6 B18 (Li3 N) comprises large hexagonal pores filled with ∞ 1 [ ${{}_{{\rm { \infty }}}{}^{{\rm { 1}}}{\rm { [}}}$ Li7 N] strands that represent a perfect cutout from the structure of α-Li3 N. Variable-temperature 7 Li NMR spectroscopy reveals a very high Li mobility in the template phase with a remarkably low activation energy below 19 kJ mol-1 and thus much lower than pristine Li3 N. The formation of the solid solution of Li6 B18 (Li3 N) and Li6 B18 (Li2 O) over the complete compositional range allows the tuning of lithium defects in the template structure that is not possible for pristine Li3 N and Li2 O.

Radical-Induced Hydrosilylation Reactions for the Functionalization of Two-Dimensional Hydride Terminated Silicon Nanosheets.

Herein we present the functionalization of freestanding silicon nanosheets (SiNSs) by radical-induced hydrosilylation reactions. An efficient hydrosilylation of Si-H terminated SiNSs can be achieved by thermal initiation or the addition of diazonium salts with a variety of alkene or alkyne derivatives. The radical-induced hydrosilylation is applicable for a wide variety of substrates with different functionalities, improving the stability and dispersibility of the functional SiNSs in organic solvents and potentially opening up new fields of application for these hybrid materials.

[Ge2](4-) Dumbbells with Very Short Ge-Ge Distances in the Zintl Phase Li3NaGe2: A Solid-State Equivalent to Molecular O2.

The novel ternary Zintl phase Li3NaGe2 comprises alkali-metal cations and [Ge2](4-) dumbbells. The diatomic [Ge2](4-) unit is characterized by the shortest Ge-Ge distance (2.390(1) Å) ever observed in a Zintl phase and thus represents the first Ge=Ge double bond under such conditions, as also suggested by the (8-N) rule. Raman measurements support these findings. The multiple-bond character is confirmed by electronic-structure calculations, and an upfield (6)Li NMR shift of -10.0 ppm, which was assigned to the Li cations surrounded by the π systems of three Ge dumbbells, further underlines this interpretation. For the unperturbed, ligand-free dumbbell in Li3NaGe2, the π- bonding py and pz orbitals are degenerate as in molecular oxygen, which has singly occupied orbitals. The partially filled π-type bands of the neat solid Li3NaGe2 cross the Fermi level, resulting in metallic properties. Li3NaGe2 was synthesized from the elements as well as from binary reactants and subsequently characterized crystallographically.

Li18Na2Ge17--a compound demonstrating cation effects on cluster shapes and crystal packing in ternary Zintl phases.

The novel ternary Zintl phase Li18Na2Ge17 was synthesized from a stoichiometric melt and characterized crystallographically. It crystallizes in the trigonal space group P31m (No. 157) with a = 17.0905(4) Å, c = 8.0783(2) Å, and V = 2043.43(8) Å(3) (final R indices R1 = 0.0212 and wR2 = 0.0420 for all data). The structure contains three different Zintl anions in a 1:1:1 ratio: isolated anions Ge(4-), tetrahedra [Ge4](4-), and truncated, Li-centered tetrahedra [Li@Ge12](11-), whose hexagonal faces are capped by four Li cations, resulting in the Friauf polyhedra [Li@Li4Ge12](7-). According to the Zintl-Klemm concept, Li18Na2Ge17 is an electronically balanced Zintl phase, as experimentally verified by its diamagnetism. The compound is structurally related to Li7RbGe8, which also contains [Ge4](4-) and [Li@Li4Ge12](7-) in its anionic substructure. However, exchanging the heavier alkali metal cation Rb for Na in the mixed-cation germanides leads to drastic changes in stoichiometry and crystal packing, demonstrating the great effects that cations exert on such Zintl phases through optimized cluster sheathing and space filling.

Implications of the crystal structure of the ammonia solvate [Au(NH3)2]Cl·4NH3.

Crystals of diammine gold(I) chloride ammonia (1/4), [Au(NH(3))(2)]Cl·4NH(3), have been grown from solutions of AuCl in liquid ammonia. The X-ray diffraction analysis (at 123 K) has shown that the crystals feature an extensive network of hydrogen bonds between the [H(3)N-Au-NH(3)](+) cations (with C(i) symmetry) and the Cl(-) anions, including also the ammonia molecules. There is no evidence for an emerging increase of the coordination number of the gold atom by adopting another ammonia molecule or by approaching a chloride anion. Moreover, the geometry of two distant and angular N-H···Au contacts is not a strong support of hydrogen bonds recently amply discussed in the literature.