Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Tetrakis(tetramethylammonium) Bis[decabromotetraselenate(II)]‐bis[dibromodiselenate(I)], [(CH3)4N]4[(Se4Br10)2(Se2Br2)2], the Salt of a Mixed‐Valence Bromoselenate(II/I) Anion

Brown crystals of [NMe₄]₄[(Se₄Br₁₀)₂(Se₂Br₂)₂] ( 1 ) were obtained from the reaction of selenium and bromine in acetonitrile in the presence of tetramethylammonium bromide. The crystal structure of 1 was determined by X‐ray diffraction and refined to R = 0.0297 for 8401 reflections. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁/c with Z = 4 and a = 12.646(3) Å, b = 16.499(3) Å, c = 16.844(3) Å, β = 101.70(3)° (123 K). In the solid‐state structure, the anion of 1 is built up of two [Se₄Br₁₀]^2– ions. Each shows a triangular arrangement of three planar SeBr₄ units sharing a common edge through two μ₃‐bridging bromine atoms, and one SeBr₂ molecule, which is linked to the Se^II atoms of two SeBr₄ units; between the Se₄Br₁₀^2– ions a dimerized Se₂Br₂ molecule (Se₄Br₄) is situated and one Se^I atom of each Se₂Br₂ molecule has two weak contacts [3.3514(14) Å and 3.3952(11) Å] to two bromine atoms of one SeBr₄ unit. Four Se^I atoms of a dimerized Se₂Br₂ molecule are in a almost regular planar tetraangular arrangement. Contacts between the Se^II atom of the SeBr₂ molecule and the Se^II atoms of two SeBr₄ units are 3.035(1) Å and 3.115(1) Å, and can be interpreted as donor‐acceptor type bonds with the Se^II atoms of SeBr₄ units as donors and the SeBr₂ molecule as acceptor. The terminal Se^II–Br and μ₃‐Br–Se^II bond lengths are in the ranges 2.3376(10) to 2.4384(8) Å and 2.8036(9) to 3.3183(13) Å, respectively. The bond lengths in the dimerized Se₂Br₂ molecule are: Se^I–Se^I = 2.2945(8) Å and 3.1398(12), Se^I–Br = 2.3659(11) and 2.3689(10) Å.