Transition metal sulfide clusters below the cluster-platelet transition theory and experiment

The structural and electronic properties of neutral and anionic molybdenum sulfide clusters with the composi-tion Mo3Sn (n=0-12) were studied by density-functional calculations. The theoretical results are confirmed by a comparison with photoelectron spectra of the correspond-ing W3Sn- anions providing experimental values for the vertical detachment energies and the HOMO-LUMO gaps. For sulfur contents up to n=9 the clusters are com-posed of a central Mo3 unit, which is decorated by bridg-ing, terminal and three-fold coordinated S atoms. For n>9, a cleavage of the Mo3 center is observed. The formation of disulfide like ions is found for Mo3S9 and larger spe-cies. In accordance with investigations of MoSn, Mo2Sn and Mo4Sn clusters, the heat of formation and the vertical detachment energy reaches a maximum in the sulfur-rich region beyond the composition Mo : S = 1 : 2.