AN ALUMINUM-OXIDE-ISOPROPOXIDE CLUSTER WITH PERIPHERAL AMMONIA LIGANDS

The reaction of toluene solutions of aluminium isopropoxide with ammon ia gas, without exclusion of moisture, affords high yields of a decanu clear aluminium-oxide-isopropoxide-ammonia cluster of the composition [Al10O6(OiPr)(18)(NH3)(8)]. The compact centrosymmetric cluster units feature tetra-, penta- and hexa-coordinate aluminium atoms, tri- and t etracoordinate interstitial oxygen atoms, and bridging and terminal is opropoxide groups. The ammonia molecules occupy peripheral positions a t two types of aluminium atoms.