Bond energies of small metal clusters

Abstract High-temperature equilibrium mass spectrometry has been used to obtain atomization energies of small metal clusters. Recent results for the bond energies of homonuclear and heteronuclear molecules containing group IV elements and of diatomic molecules containing second and third series transition metal atoms will be presented. The application of various empirical models for correlating and predicting bond energies of diatomic metals and small metal clusters will be discussed, and the significance of theoretical calculations for obtaining insight into the nature of bonding illustrated.