Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Cs5Nb2S4X9 – Double Salts Containing New Cluster Anions [Nb2(μ-S2)2X8]4– (X = Cl,Br)

Bis(disulfide)bridged Nb(+4) cluster halide complexes Nb₂S₄X₈]^4– (X = Cl, Br) were prepared by acid hydrolysis of Nb₂S₄(NCS)₈]^4– in concentrated aqueous HCl or HBr, solution from which they can be isolated as double salts Cs₅Nb₂S₄X₈]X (X = Cl, 1 ; X = Br, 2 ). The crystal structures of 1 and 2 were determined. The isolation and X-ray structure of oxonium salt (H₃O)₅ Nb₂S₄Cl₈]Cl ( 3 ) is also reported. 1 – 3 contain new Nb₂S₄X₈]^4– anions which can also be viewed as excised building blocks of polymeric solids NbS₂X₂. The extra halogen resides in the center of octahedron formed by six Cs⁺ or H₃O⁺ ions. All the three salts are isostructural and crystallize in tetragonal space group Immm with the following parameters: a = 10.269(2), b = 16.343(2), c = 7.220(1) Å for 1 , a = 10.934(1), b = 16.613(2), c = 7.470(1) Å for 2 , a = 9.639(1), b = 16.031(1), c = 7.071(1) Å for 3 . The parameters of the Nb₂S₄ core are only slightly affected by the change from Cl to Br.