Basic beryllium acetate

Basic beryllium acetate is the chemical compound with the formula Be4O(O2CCH3)6. Although this species has no applications and has been only lightly studied, it adopts a distinctive structure and exhibits remarkable thermal stability. "Basic acetates" consist of an ensemble of metal atoms, a central oxide atom, and an exterior of acetate groups. Another family of basic acetates are trimetallic with the formula M3O(O2CCH3)6(H2O)3 (M = Cr, Fe, Ru). Mixed metal members of this family also exist.

Preparation
To prepare Be4O(O2CCH3)6, basic beryllium carbonate is treated with hot acetic acid. The product is insoluble in water but soluble in chloroform, indicative of a nonpolar species. It melts at 284 °C and sublimes in a vacuum without decomposition.

Structure
The structure of Be4O(O2CCH3)6 is relevant to its considerable stability. It is diamondoid, consisting of interlocking six-membered Be2O3C rings. The structure of this compound has been examined by two famous crystallography laboratories.