Clusters or paperbags? What can we actually learn from the structure and reactivity of oligonuclear metal-oxo-alkoxide complexes?

Abstract

AbstractThe term cluster has been proposed in Inorganic Chemistry for species featuring well-defined metal-metal bond based structures and implies inherent stability against metal core transformation. The present article provides additional arguments for the formation of metal oxo-alkoxide species on the action of external self-assembly forces, without invoking such stability. These species are easily restructured on hydrolysis in aqueous medium and their alleged photo and electro catalytic reactivity may actually be due to metal oxide nanoparticles resulting from their transformation. A new term “paperbag compound” is proposed instead of ‘cluster’ to denote oligonuclear non-cluster species. New insights into the reactivity of metal oxide nanoparticles in biological systems can be obtained from analysis of structure and bonding parameters in paperbag compounds as molecular models. Graphical Abstract