[Nb6Cl12(HIm)6](OAc)2·3MeOH – a hydrogen-bonded network of niobium cluster cations, acetate anions and methanol molecules

The new cluster compound [Nb6Cl12(HIm)6](OAc)2 · 3MeOH represents the first example of network compounds consisting of hexanuclear niobium cluster cations and acetate anions, which are connected though hydrogen bonds (besides Coulomb interactions). Hydrogen-bonded cation-anion pairs form chains, which are further extended to sheets by additional hydrogen bonds to co-crystallized methanol molecules. The synthesis of the title compound is based on a one-pot dehydration reaction of the cluster precursor [Nb6Cl14(H2O)4] · 4H2O with acetic anhydride in the presence of imidazole at T = 40°C.