First example of monodispersed (Mo3Se3)(1)(inf) clusters.

The close relationship of the structure of ternary molybdenum chalcogenides to molecular cluster compounds suggests that these chalcogenides might be synthesized from such clusters or be solubilized from the solid phase, many attempts to solubilize these chalcogenide clusters were unsuccessful. This is first report that some of the pseudo-one-dimensional compounds (M2Mo6X6, X=Se, Te; M = Li, Na) can be dissolved when exposed to highly polar solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide or N-methylformamide.