Ternary metal sulfides MzMoS2: synthesis using single-layer dispersions of molybdenum disulfide and study of the structure

The sulfur atoms of negatively charged (MoS₂)^x– layers in aqueous single-layer dispersions of molybdenum disulfide covalently bind the M²⁺ cations (M = Pb, Cd, Hg, Pd). This makes it possible to obtain ternary metal sulfides M_zMoS₂ containing guest M atoms in octahedral or tetrahedral vacancies between the S—Mo—S layers at room temperature. In the case of Pd and Hg, the formation of M_zMoS₂ is accompanied by the reduction of a fraction of Pd^II to Pd⁰ and Hg^II to Hg^I. During dispersion followed by the formation of ternary sulfides, the MoS₂ layers undergo structural transformations resulting in the formation of Mo—Mo bonds.