  We present the first ab initio study of the geometry, electronic structure,
charged states, bonding and vibrational modes of the recently synthesized
fullerene-like As@Ni12@As20 cluster which has icosahedral point symmetry
[Science, 300, 778 (2003)]. We show that the molecule is vibrationally stable
and will be electronically most stable in its -3 oxidation state in the
condensed phase and in -2 state in the gas phase. We examine the bonding in
this unusually structured molecule from charge transfer between atoms, infrared
and Raman spectra, and charge density isosurfaces.
