Towards a 32‐Electron Principle: Pu@Pb₁₂ and Related Systems

Abstract

The predicted endohedral icosahedral clusters Pu@Pb12 (see picture; Pu blue, Pb yellow) and [Am@Pb12]+ have an outermost 32-electron system corresponding to formally occupied 7s, 7p, 6d, and 5f actinide orbitals, each of which interacts with a Pb 6p-based orbital of the [Pb12]2− cage. This study provides the first example of a formal 32-electron principle, and 32 is not a false magic number.