Solvothermal synthesis and characterisation of new one-dimensional indium and gallium sulphides: [C10N4H26]0.5[InS2] and [C10N4H26]0.5[GaS2]

Two new main group metal sulphides, [C₁₀N₄H₂₆]_0.5[InS₂] (1) and [C₁₀N₄H₂₆]_0.5[GaS₂] (2) have been prepared solvothermally in the presence of 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine and their crystal structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Both compounds are isostructural and crystallise in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n (Z=4), with a=6.5628(5), b=11.2008(9), c=12.6611(9) Å and β=94.410(4)° (wR=0.035) for compound (1) and a=6.1094(5), b=11.2469(9), c=12.7064(10) Å and β=94.313(4)° (wR=0.021) for compound (2). The structure of [C₁₀N₄H₂₆]_0.5[MS₂] (M=In,Ga) consists of one-dimensional [MS₂]⁻ chains which run parallel to the crystallographic a axis and are separated by diprotonated amine molecules. These materials represent the first example of solvothermally prepared one-dimensional gallium and indium sulphides.