The structure of Zintl ions can be confirmed through x-ray crystallography. Corbett has also improved the crystallization of Zintl ions by demonstrating the use of chelating ligands such as cryptands, as cation sequestering agents.
Many of the main group elements have NMR active nuclei, thus NMR experiments are also valuable for gaining structural and electronic information; they can reveal information about the flexibility of clusters. For example, differently charged species can be present in solution because the polyanions are highly reduced and may be oxidized by solvent molecules. NMR experiments have shown a low barrier to change and thus similar energies for different states. NMR is also useful for gaining information about the coupling between individual atoms of the polyanion and with the counter-ion, a coordinated transition metal, or ligand. Nucleus independent chemical shifts can also be an indicator for 3D aromaticity, which causes magnetic shielding at special points.
Additionally, EPR can be used to measure paramagnetic in relevant clusters, of which there are a number of examples of the [E] type, among others.