On the rubidium thiotellurate(IV) Rb2[TeS3] and its tritohydrate Rb2[TeS3] ⋅ 1/3 H2O

Abstract

Rb2[TeS3] and Rb2[TeS3] ⋅ 1/3 H2O were obtained from rubidium azide (RbN3), tellurium and sulfur in 2 : 1 : 3 molar ratios from evacuated fused silica ampoules at 500 °C under more or less anhydrous conditions. Both compounds crystallize orthorhombically in the space group P212121 (Rb2[TeS3]: a=873.42(6) pm, b=1316.73(9) pm, c=2064.59(14) pm; Rb2[TeS3] ⋅ 1/3 H2O: a=872.97(6) pm, b=1299.82(9) pm, c=2148.26(15) pm, both at -173 °C for Z =12) and contain discrete ψ1‐tetrahedral [TeS3]2- anions (d(Te-S)=232-236 pm) in layerwise arrangements. The difference results from the water of hydration in Rb2[TeS3] ⋅ 1/3 H2O, which increases the coordination numbers of half of the six crystallographically distinct Rb+ cations from six and seven (only sulfur) to seven and almost eight by providing with oxygen from H2O an extra ligand (d(Rb-O)=290-318 pm). Red Rb2[TeS3] transforms pseudo‐topotactically into yellow Rb2[TeS3] ⋅ 1/3 H2O immediately upon contact with moist atmosphere. The compounds were screened with X‐ray diffraction, Raman and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy as well as thermal analysis. image