Convenient, room-temperature, amine-assisted routes to metal sulfides, selenides and tellurides

The reaction of elemental powders of Ag, Pb and Hg with S, Se or Te in n-butylamine for 12-72 h produced crystalline metal chalcogenides ME (M = Pb or Hg; E = S, Se or Te) and Ag2E in good yield (>90%). The reactions of Cu with Se or Te in n-butylamine gave crystalline Cu2-xSe and Cu0.64Te0.36, whilst the reaction of Cu or Ni with sulfur under similar conditions produced an amorphous material that on heating to 250-300 degrees C for 2 h yielded crystalline NiS and Cu2S. Products were analysed by Fourier-transform IR, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analysis by X-rays, powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The elemental reactions were also investigated in n-hexylamine, ethane-1,2-diamine, cyclohexane and aqueous ammonia solution.