Composition of Rhenium Heptasulfide Prepared by Different Methods

— Re 2 S 7 samples have been synthesized by thiosulfate, sulfide. and thioacetamide processes and shown to differ very little in composition. Their composition has been determined by chemical analysis, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). According to chemical analysis data, the samples contain an excess of sulfur compared to the stoichiometric composition Re 2 S 7 . According to IR spectroscopy results, the synthesized Re 2 S 7 samples contain water, hydrogen sulfate ions, and thioperrhenate ions. XPS results demonstrate the presence of sulfide, disulfide, and sulfate ions on the surface of Re 2 S 7 . In addition, the rhenium in the synthesized samples is in an odd oxidation state. Possible causes of distinctions between the structural models of Re 2 S 7 proposed in the literature are discussed.