Facile Way of Synthesis for Molybdenum Iodides

Molybdenum iodides are prepared based on a new way of synthesis, namely, via reductive metathesis reaction of MoCl₅ with SiI₄. MoI₃ was formed at 150 °C. Mo₆I₁₂ and the new molybdenum iodides Mo₆I₁₆ and Mo₆I₁₈ with the well-known [Mo₆I₈]⁴⁺ cluster core were obtained in the temperature range 550–600 °C. Compounds were structurally characterized by powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques.