Ionothermal Synthesis of Sulfidobismuth spiro-Dicubane Cations

Bi2S3 was dissolved in the presence of NaCl in the ionic liquid [BMIm]Cl . 4AlCl(3) (BMIm=1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) through annealing the mixture at 180 degrees C. Upon cooling to room temperature, orange, air-sensitive crystals of Na(Bi7S8)[S(AlCl3)(3)](2)[AlCl4](2) (1) precipitated. X-ray diffraction on single-crystals of 1 revealed a triclinic crystal structure that contains (Bi7S8)(5+) spiro-dicubanes, [S(AlCl3)(3)](2-) tetrahedra triples, isolated [AlCl4](-) tetrahedra, and sodium cations.

Automated summary

Bi2S3 was dissolved in an ionic liquid [BMIm]Cl in the presence of NaCl, resulting in the formation of a complex crystal structure containing various structural units such as (Bi7S8)(5+) spiro-dicubanes and [S(AlCl3)(3)](2-) tetrahedra triples.