Lanthanide-transition metal chalcogenido cluster materials

[(THF)(3)Sm(SePh)(2)Zn(SePh)(2)](n) decomposes to give a variety of products, including [(THF)(8)Sm4Se(SePh)(8)](2+)[Zn8Se(SePh)(16)](2-), an ionic cluster that can also be prepared in more than 60% yield by stoichiometric addition of Se to a mixture of Sm(SePh)(3) and Zn(SePh)(2). The isostructural Nd compound [(THF)(8)Nd4Se(SePh)(8)](2+)[Zn8Se(SePh)(16)](2-) was also prepared by the stoichiometric route to establish the viability of this cluster type with redox-inactive Ln. In addition, the salt [Yb(THF)(6)](3+)[Fe4Se4(SePh)(4)](3-) was isolated and structurally characterized. These ionic cluster materials illustrate the difficulties associated with doping Ln ions into covalent metal chalcogenido matrixes.