Surfactant-thermal method to prepare two novel two-dimensional Mn-Sb-S compounds for photocatalytic applications

Two novel two-dimensional crystalline chalcogenidoantimonates, [MnSb2S4(N2H4)(2)] (1) and [Mn(tepa) Sb6S10] (2) (tepa=tetraethylenepentamine), have been successfully synthesized under surfactant-thermal conditions through using PEG-400 and sodium dodecyl sulfate as reaction media, respectively. In compound 1, [MnS2N4](n)(2n-) species connect [SbS2](n)(n-) chains via vertex-sharing S atoms to form neutral layered frameworks, while in compound 2, 8-membered windows [Sb4S8](n)(4n-), 24-membered windows [Sb12S24](n)(12n-) and Mn atoms are connected together to form neutral 2D-[MnSb6S10] layers. All Sb atoms in both complexes form [(SbS3)-S-III](3-) trigonal-pyramid by coordinating with three S atoms. The steep UV-vis absorption edges indicate that 1 and 2 have the band gaps of 1.96 eV and 2.12 eV, respectively. Both compound 1 and 2 show active visible-light-driven photocatalytic properties for hydrogen production. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.