The first example of a niobium–sulphide–thiolate cluster: metal–metal bonding and µ₄-sulphide groups in tetranuclear [Nb₄S₂(SPH)₁₂]^4–

Abstract

Reaction of Nb2Cl6(Me2S)3 with of excess of LiSPh·THF (THF = tetrahydrofuran) leads to formation of Li4[Nb4S2(SPh)12]·4THF: the crystal structure shows the tetra-anion to contain a metal–metal bonded Nb4 square with a µ4-S2– atom both above and below the metal plane.