Isolation and structures of new soluble ternary cadmium–copper (silver)–tellurolate clusters

Interaction of CuCl with a mixture of NaTePh and anhydrous CdCl2 in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the presence of PPh3 ligand led to the isolation of the ternary cadmium–copper–tellurolate cluster [CdCu4(μ-TePh)3(μ3-TePh)3(PPh3)4] (1) and the dodecanuclear mixed copper/telluride/tellurolate cluster [Cu12(μ6-Te)3(μ3-TePh)6(PPh3)6] (2), while the similar reaction with AgCl gave the ternary cadmium–silver–tellurolate cluster [CdAg4(μ-TePh)3(μ3-TePh)3(PPh3)4] (3) and the tetradecanuclear mixed silver/telluride/tellurolate cluster [Ag14(μ6-Te)(μ3-TePh)12(PPh3)8] (4). The binary clusters 2 and 4 were previously reported by Fenske and Corrigan, whereas clusters 1 and 3 are the first examples of ternary tellurolate-bimetallic clusters. Crystal structures and photoluminescent properties of the new ternary clusters 1 and 3 are reported in this paper.