Two isostructural pairs of supramolecular iodoantimonate(III) and iodobismuthate(III) complexes with I2 units "trapped" in solid state via halogen bonding-Cat3[[M2I9](I2)} (Cat = tetramethylammonium and 1-methylpyridinium, M = Sb(III) and Bi(III)) were prepared. For all compounds, values of optical band gaps were determined, together with thermal stability; the complexes were additionally characterized by Raman spectroscopy.
Keywords: antimony; bismuth; halide complexes; non-covalent interactions; polynuclear complexes.