Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Elementary Electrical Characterization of Quasi-One-Dimensional TiSe₃

The solid-state synthesis at an applied pressure of 6 GPa, crystal structure, and elementary electronic properties of the previously unreported compound TiSe₃ are described. The crystal structure, which is based on 1D chains of Ti-Se triangular prisms that are coupled to each other, with two-thirds of the Se involved in a Se-Se pair, is similar to that of TiS₃. Unlike the trisulfide, the triselenide is only made under pressure at temperatures between 800 and 900 °C. The material is semiconducting and weakly diamagnetic.