Transition-Metal Molecular Clusters

Publisher Summary The advances in the field of cluster chemistry in the past few years have been considerable, and although some of the chemistry to be discussed in this review has been the subject of report elsewhere . Many of the principles of structure and reactivity have not been discussed previously. This article is not regarded as a comprehensive account but rather as an assessment of the current views of the cluster compounds. Muetterties has drawn attention to the similarities between the chemistry of transition-metal surfaces and transition-metal clusters and encourage the view that the study of transition-metal clusters would provide information about interactions occurring at the surface of heterogeneous catalysts. The clusters also possess intrinsic novel properties, which suggest that these clusters might serve as potential catalysts for a range of processes. The report at rhodium carbonyl clusters were effective catalysts in the production of ethylene glycol considerably enhanced this view, but there remains the considerable problem of whether the true catalyst in these reactions is a cluster rather than some mononuclear species. Currently, work is in hand at several centers to resolve this dilemma.