Solvothermal Conversion of Discrete Cubic Cadmium Thiolate Cluster into Supertetrahedral Cluster Decorating Quartz-Type Chiral Superlattice

Solvothermal reaction between thiourea and an ionic cluster compound (denoted CMM-5) containing a cubic cadmium thiolate cluster ([Cd8(SPhF-3)14(DMF)6]2+) at 85 °C in a mixed acetone/H2O solvent converts the discrete cubic cluster into the covalently linked tetrahedral cluster that serves as tetrahedral node in a helical compound (denoted CMF-8, [Cd8S(SC6H4F-3)12(SC6H4F-3)4/2]) with α-quartz-type topology. CMF-8 has a UV−vis absorption onset at 375 nm, and the thermal analysis shows that it is stable up to about 300 °C.