Aromaticity and Antiaromaticity in Zintl Clusters

Originally, the concepts of aromaticity and antiaromaticity were introduced to explain the stability and reactivity of unsaturated organic compounds. Since then, they have been extended to other species with delocalized electrons including various saturated systems, organometallic compounds, and even inorganic clusters and molecules. In this Minireview, we focus on the most recent progress of using these concepts to guide experimental synthesis and rationalize geometrical and electronic structures of a particular family of polyanions composed of Group 14 and 15 elements, namely Zintl clusters. Bonding in a cluster: The application of concepts of aromaticity and antiaromaticity towards Zintl clusters is discussed in this minireview.