Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.112, No.48, 12463-12468, 2008
One-Electron Metal-Metal Bond Stabilized in Dinuclear Metallocenes: Theoretical Prediction of DBe-LiCp (D = C5H5 or C5Me5)
Recently, stimulated by the unexpected synthesis and isolation of a bis-metallic sandwich compound Cp*ZnZnCp* (Cp* = eta(5)-C5Me5), many studies have focused on various dinuclear metallocenes involving a direct metal-metal (single or multiple) bond. However, we are not aware of any report on the metallocenes incorporating a "one-electron metal-metal bond". Herein, through the good steric and electronic stabilization effect of Cp and Cp*, we for the first time theoretically design a new type of sandwich-like compounds DBe-LiCp (D = Cp or Cp*) associated by an "unaided" one-electron metal-metal bond. Bonding characteristics of CpBe-LiCp were analyzed by natural bond orbital (NBO) theory. To shed more light on the stability of sandwich complexes, the dissociation energies (DBe-LiCp -> DBe + CpLi) and extrusion energies (DBe-LiCp -> DBeCp + Li) were calculated. Through calculation of thermodynamic standard entropies, we predict that these new Compounds may be detected in the gaseous phase at appropriate experiment conditions.