Multistate reactivity of weak-field clusters at ambient temperatures.

Weak-field clusters with locally high-spin centers exhibit multistate reactivity at ambient temperatures, enabling alternative reaction pathways through low-lying excited states.

• Why it matters: Understanding how excited states influence reactivity is crucial because traditional models assume ground-state dominance, overlooking the role of accessible excited states in biological and industrial processes.
• What they did: The authors review recent progress in analyzing the effects of low-lying excited states in polynuclear clusters, focusing on their population at ambient temperatures and impact on reaction mechanisms.
• The result: This work advances mechanistic insights into multistate reactivity, highlighting the importance of excited states in designing and controlling reactions involving such clusters.