Superheated solvent media for organometallic (poly)chalcogenide cluster synthesis

Solvothermal reactions in superheated aqueous and nonaqueous solvent media have led to many new metal-carbonyl chalcogenido clusters. This efficient synthetic technique, usually applied to synthesize solid state materials, is also surprisingly useful in preparing molecular clusters in crystalline form. Thus, many of the often laborious purification and separation procedures which are associated with conventional solution methods can be avoided. This method holds substantial promise for the exploratory synthesis of inorganic/organometallic compounds. In this short account we intend to focus on the contributions of the solventothermal technique to the organometallic polytelluride cluster chemistry.