The Intermetalloid Cluster [(Cp*AlCu) 6 H 4 ], Embedding a Cu 6 Core Inside an Octahedral Al 6 Shell: Molecular Models of Hume–Rothery Nanophases

Defined molecular models for the surface chemistry of Hume–Rothery nanophases related to catalysis are very rare. The Al‐Cu intermetalloid cluster [(Cp*AlCu) 6 H 4 ] was selectively obtained from the clean reaction of [(Cp*Al) 4 ] and [(Ph 3 PCuH) 6 ]. The stronger affinity of Cp*Al towards Cu sweeps the phosphine ligands from the copper hydride precursor and furnishes an octahedral Al 6 cage to encapsulate the Cu 6 core. The resulting hydrido cluster M 12 H 4 reacts with benzonitrile to give the stoichiometric hydrometalation product [(Cp*AlCu) 6 H 3 (N=CHPh)].