The elusive tetrasulfate anion [S4O13](2-)

Abstract

Sulfates united: the unique tetrasulfate S(4)O(13)(2-) anion was observed in the structure of (NO(2))(2)[S(4)O(13)] that forms in the reaction of N(2)O(5) with SO(3). Theoretical investigations show that the anion is a stable member of the polysulfate series [S(n)O(3n+1)](2-), which was investigated up to n=11.