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Nature 314, 231-235 (21 March 1985) | doi:10.1038/314231a0; Accepted 27 December 1984

Study of magnetism in osmium cluster compounds as molecular models for small metallic particles

D. C. Johnson*, R. E. Benfield†, P. P. Edwards‡, §, W. J. H. Nelson‡ & M. D. Vargas‡

  1. *Baker Laboratory of Chemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
  2. †Chemical Laboratory, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NH, UK
  3. ‡University Chemical Laboratory, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
  4. §To whom correspondence should be addressed.
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The magnetic susceptibilities of a series of cluster carbonyl compounds of osmium have been measured by a high-sensitivity Faraday method and the evolution of certain aspects of 'metallic' behaviour in the high-nuclearity clusters is revealed by a steady increase in the excess molecular susceptibility as the cluster size increases. We also consider here 'metallic' status in the cluster compounds of other transition elements.