Cluster compounds

Abstract

The study of compounds which contain clusters of atoms, often of high symmetry, is making significant contributions to theories of bonding. Part of the fascination of this area is aesthetic, deriving from the beautiful order which these structures, in their unanticipated variety, reveal. Impetus for this work is enhanced by the realization that clusters, especially of transition metal atoms, may have potential as homogeneous catalysts, where two or more sites can act in conjunction. Moreover clusters sometimes have the structures expected from fragments of the extended close packed arrays found in bulk metals. It has therefore been suggested that they could provide a link between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyst systems. Study of cluster chemistry could possibly lead to a deeper understanding of the behaviour of metal surfaces in catalysing reactions of industrial importance such as the reforming of hydrocarbons or conversions of ‘synthesis gas’.