A series of novel organically templated germanium antimony sulfides

A series of novel organically templated germanium antimony sulfides have been solvothermally synthesized and structurally, thermally, and optically characterized. The compound [Me(2)NH(2)](6)[(Ge(2)Sb(2)S(7))(Ge(4)S(10))] (1) features two distinct tetranuclear [Ge(2)Sb(2)S(7)](2-) and [Ge(4)S(10)](4-) isolated clusters. The compound [(Me)(2)NH(2)][DabcoH](2)[Ge(2)Sb(3)S(10)] (2) (Dabco = triethylenediamine) features a 1D-[Ge(2)Sb(3)S(10)](n)(3n-) ribbon constructed with two [GeSbS(5)](n)(3n-) chains bridged by Sb(3+) ion in psi-SbS(4) configuration. Compounds [M(en)(3)][GeSb(2)S(6)] (M = Ni (3), Co (4) en = ethylenediamine) feature the unique 2D grid layer structures of [GeSb(2)S(6)](n)(2n-). The compound [(Me)(2)NH(2)](2)[GeSb(2)S(6)] (5) previously reported by us features a 3D chiral microporous structure with the chiral channels. The optical absorption spectra indicate that all the compounds are wide bandgap semiconductors. Thermal stabilities of these compounds have been investigated by thermogravimetric analyses (TGA).