Heterometallic Ln/Hg Tellurido Clusters

“Ln(TePh)3” (Ln = Er, Tm, Lu), prepared in situ by the reduction of PhTeTePh with elemental Ln in the presence of Hg catalyst, reacts with elemental Te to give heterometallic clusters with the formula (py)7Ln3HgTe4(TePh)3. Structural characterization of all three isostructural derivatives reveals a cubane arrangement of metal ions, with a distorted tetrahedral Hg(II) ion coordinated to three μ3 coordinate Te2− and a terminal TePh ligand. There are two chemically inequivalent types of octahedral Ln(III) ions, one bound to three Te2− and three pyridine donors, and two that coordinate two pyridine, three Te2−, and a terminal TePh ligand. The Lu compound decomposes at elevated temperatures to give LuTe.