Giant heterometallic Cu17Mn28 cluster with Td symmetry and high-spin ground state

Reaction of copper powder with Mn(OAc)(2)center dot 4H(2)O and triethanolamine in DMF solution in air yields a high nuclearity, mixed-valent (Cu4Cu13Mn4Mn12Mn12IV)-Cu-I-Mn-II-Mn-II-Mn-III cluster. X-ray crystallography shows that 1 contains an unprecedented adamantane-like Mn-28 core connected wholly by Mn4O4 cubane units. Magnetic susceptibility data indicate a S = 51/2 ground state in low magnetic field with a S = 63/2 excited state only 5 K in energy above the ground state.