[Ru(2,2′-bipy)3]2[Bi4I16]: A bimetallic inorganic–organic complex consisting of a d-metal coordination cation and a polynuclear iodobismuthate anion

The crystal structure of [Ru(2,2′-bipy)3]2[Bi4I16] (2,2′-bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) contains the photochemically active coordination cation [Ru(2,2′-bipy)3]2+ and the large, polynuclear [Bi4I16]4− anion. [Bi4I16]4− consists of four edge-sharing BiI6 octahedra and is derived from the neutral, semiconductor BiI3 by uptake of I−. The title compound is a rare example of a mixed-metal halobismuthate material [crystal data C60H48Bi4I16N12Ru2: triclinic, image, a = 12.2963(7) Å, b = 14.0147(8) Å, c = 14.7234(8) Å, α = 70.1900(1)°, β = 69.2010(1)°, γ = 72.6570(1)°].