Cu2ZnSbS4: A Thioantimonate(V) with Remarkably Strong Covalent Sb-S Bonding.

A new member to the A2IBIICIVX4 compound family, Cu2ZnSbS4, was synthesized successfully using ball milling and postannealing in H2S-atmosphere. For comparative purposes, Cu3SbS4 was additionally prepared using the same synthetic approach. As is common for A2IBIICIVX4 compounds, Cu2ZnSbS4 crystallizes isostructural to Cu3SbS4 in the stannite-type structure in space group I42m. Both antimony sulfides contain monovalent diamagnetic copper and are characterized by substantial covalent bonding. This is consistent with the 121Sb isomer shifts occurring for the Mössbauer spectra of Cu2ZnSbS4 (-7.71 mm s-1) and Cu3SbS4 (-7.68 mm s-1) which fall in the region of covalently bonded Sb(V) compounds. These spectroscopic results are supported by electronic structure calculations.