Superatoms tend to behave chemically in a way that will allow them to have a closed shell of electrons, in this new counting scheme.
When analyzed by mass spectrometry one main reaction product turns out to be Al13I−.
[3] These clusters of 13 aluminium atoms with an extra electron added do not appear to react with oxygen when it is introduced in the same gas stream, indicating a halide-like character and a magic number of 40 free electrons.
The related Al13I−2 cluster is expected to behave chemically like the triiodide ion.
[3] Similarly it has been noted that Al14 clusters with 42 electrons (2 more than the magic numbers) appear to exhibit the properties of an alkaline earth metal which typically adopt +2 valence states.