Assembly of molecular squares and helical chain polymers of Mo(W)/Cu/S clusters using thiolato ligands as linkers

Reactions between thiomolybdate or thiotungstate [Et₄N]₂[MS₄] (M = Mo, W) and CuSBu^t led to the formation of two novel Mo(W)/Cu/S clusters [Et₄N]₄[{MS₄Cu₂(μ-SBu^t)}₄] (1, M = Mo; 2, M = W). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal that 2 is the first example of a molecular square containing CuS₂WS₂Cu building blocks. The reactions of [Et₄N]₂[MS₄] with CuCl followed by the addition of K₂SSS (SSS = 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2,5-dithiolate) yielded novel polymers {[Et₄N]₂[MS₄Cu₂(SSS)]}_n (3, M = Mo; 4, M = W). Crystal structure determination shows that the CuS₂WS₂Cu building blocks in the anion of 4 are bridged by SSS²⁻ ligands to produce a helical chain running down the crystallographic b axis.