The structure of tristrontium pentastannide, Sr3Sn5 is
isotypic to one of Pu3Pd5. The basic structural unit is
a distorted square pyramid of Sn atoms. Those [Sn5]6-
anions can be regarded as aWades cluster of the arachno
type.
The electronic structure of the pyramidal Zintl
anions and the influence of the number of skeletal
electrons of these clusters were investigated using the
ELF.
