One-dimensional chloro-bridged Cd(II) chains separated by dimethyl hexadecyl sulfonium cation layers: synthesis and structure

A low-dimensional material with the composition {(n-C16H33)(CH3)2S}∞+1[CdCl3]− has been prepared. As expected, the sulfonium cations form an insulating organic layer; the closest Cd–Cd distance between layers is about 19 Å, as compared to 3.9 Å within the same layer. The inorganic layer is formed by a 5-coordinated cadmium(II) moiety CdCl5, connected to a one-dimensional chain of slightly distorted, edge-sharing square pyramids. The compound was synthesized from the parent sulfonium chloride and CdCl2 in ethanol, exploiting the Lewis acidity of Cd(II).