Theoretical Investigation of Stable Structures of Ge₆ Clusters with Various Negative Charges

Abstract

Nine isomers of Ge₆, Ge₆^2-, Ge₆^4-, and Ge₆^6- have been searched for by the MP2/6-31+G(d), B3LYP/6-311+G(d), and B3LYP/LANL2DZ electronic structure calculations. Totally 16 isomers are found: six Ge₆, three Ge₆^2-, five Ge₆^4-, and two Ge₆^6-. We discovered that the predicted stable shapes of Ge₆^2-, Ge₆^4-, and Ge₆^6- are octahedral, pentagonal pyramidal, and hexagonal, respectively, which agrees well with the Wade rule. It is concluded that the electron counting rule governs the structural preference in Ge anion clusters as well as in Si anion clusters.