An all-metal fullerene: [K@Au12Sb20]5−

The C₆₀ fullerene molecule has attracted tremendous interest for its  distinctive nearly spherical structure. By contrast, all-metal counterparts have been elusive: Fullerene-like clusters composed of noncarbon elements typically suffer from instability, resulting in more compact geometries that require multiple embedded atoms or external  ligands for stabilization. In this work, we present the synthesis of an  all-metal fullerene cluster, [K@Au₁₂Sb₂₀]⁵⁻, using a wet-chemistry method. The cluster's structure was determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction, which revealed a fullerene framework consisting of 20 antimony atoms. Theoretical calculations further  indicate that this distinct cluster exhibits aromatic behavior.