Machine Learning Guided Assembly of a Nested Gd <sub>20</sub> @Gd <sub>32</sub> @Ni <sub>36</sub> Cluster via Urea Controlled Carbonate Release

M Ming‐Qiang Qi (Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces Xiamen University Xiamen China) R Rui‐Le Yang (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China) J Jing‐Zhou Wu (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China) J Jia‐Nan Chen (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China) Y Yue‐Bo Qi (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China) X Xin‐Ya Diao (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China) M Ming‐Hao Du (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China) Y Yibin Jiang (iChem, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) C Cheng Wang L La‐Sheng Long (State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen China) L Lan‐Sun Zheng (State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen China) X Xiang‐Jian Kong (Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces Xiamen University Xiamen China)

Abstract

Abstract Lanthanide‐based polyhedral clusters are of great interest due to their unique geometries and functional properties, but their controlled synthesis remains a major challenge. Here, we report a nested three‐shell cluster, [Gd 52 Ni 36 (MeIDA) 36 (OH) 114 (CO 3 ) 12 (H 2 O) 48 ]·(ClO 4 ) 18 ·(H 2 O) 21 ( Gd 52 Ni 36 , H 2 MeIDA = N ‐Methyliminodiacetic acid), achieved by using urea as a slow‐release carbonate source to direct the formation of a dodecahedral inner shell. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction reveals a unique Gd 20 @Gd 32 @Ni 36 arrangement, with the innermost Gd 20 forming a Platonic dodecahedron templated by carbonate. A machine learning–guided, high‐throughput synthesis platform enabled the exploration of 780 reaction conditions, uncovering key parameters and phase boundaries governing cluster formation. This work demonstrates data‐driven strategies can accelerate the discovery of complex lanthanide architectures.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 42
Published October 13, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (12)

M

Ming‐Qiang Qi

Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces Xiamen University Xiamen China

R

Rui‐Le Yang

Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China

J

Jing‐Zhou Wu

Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China

J

Jia‐Nan Chen

Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China

Y

Yue‐Bo Qi

Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China

X

Xin‐Ya Diao

Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China

M

Ming‐Hao Du

Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China

Y

Yibin Jiang

iChem, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

C

Cheng Wang

L

La‐Sheng Long

State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen China

L

Lan‐Sun Zheng

State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen China

X

Xiang‐Jian Kong

Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces Xiamen University Xiamen China