Abstract
A framework of simple, transparent and powerful concepts is presented which is based on isoelectronic (or isovalent) principles, analogies, regularities and similarities. These analogies could be considered as conceptual extensions of the periodical table of the elements, assuming that two atoms or molecules having the same number of valence electrons would be expected to have similar or homologous properties. In addition, such similar moieties should be able, in principle, to replace each other in more complex structures and nanocomposites. This is only partly true and only occurs under certain conditions which are investigated and reviewed here. When successful, these concepts are very powerful and transparent, leading to a large variety of nanomaterials based on Si and other group 14 elements, similar to well known and well studied analogous materials based on boron and carbon. Such nanomaterias designed in silico include, among many others, Si-C, Sn-Bi, Si-C and Ge-C clusters, rings, nanowheels, nanorodes, nanocages and multidecker sandwiches, as well as silicon planar rings and fullerenes similar to the analogous sp2 bonding carbon structures. It is shown that this pedagogically simple and transparent framework can lead to an endless variety of novel and functional nanomaterials with important potential applications in nanotechnology, nanomedicine and nanobiology. Some of the so called predicted structures have been already synthesized, not necessarily with the same rational and motivation. Finally, it is anticipated that such powerful and transparent rules and analogies, in addition to their predictive power, could also lead to far-reaching interpretations and a deeper understanding of already known results and information.
Highlights
There are several very powerful, general and fruitful concepts in physics and chemistry which are, at the same time, miraculously simple and highly efficient for the molecular engineering and design of functional and functionalizable nanomaterials and nanosystems
In addition to the diagonal relationship there is an obvious vertical relation between elements of the same column of the periodical table which have the same number of valence electrons and similar chemical properties
The boron connection for Si and Si-C structures The BH®Si boron connection has originated from the fluxionality and similarity of magic silicon clusters with the corresponding deltahedral boranes
Summary
There are several very powerful, general and fruitful concepts in physics and chemistry which are, at the same time, miraculously simple and highly efficient for the molecular engineering and design of functional and functionalizable nanomaterials and nanosystems. In addition to the diagonal relationship there is an obvious vertical relation between elements of the same column of the periodical table (groups) which have the same number of valence electrons and similar (more or less) chemical properties. In this case we can derive the rule CH®Si1(8), by noting that the Si66- multianion has a planar hexagonal structure similar to benzene (C6H6) [17,18],from which it follows that Si66-®C6H6 or CH®Si1- (8) Several totally new results and predictions have been obtained here
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