HIDDEN ELECTRON LONE PAIRS IN ZINTL ION CLUSTERS

A selected sample of Zintl ion clusters was analyzed using skeletal numbers. From each cluster a cluster number (K) was obtained.This cluster number gives us the number of skeletal bonds that bind the skeletal elements in the cluster together. Another newly discovered useful parameter given by LP=EP/2-K where LP=lone pair electrons and K= cluster number was used to determine the number of lone electron pairs present in a chemical cluster. It was found that a wide range of Zintl clusters do possess electron lone pairs. A tentative distribution of the electron lone pairs is given for a selected number of clusters.This book provides a wide range of Zintl clusters examples for illustrations.