Progress toward the Isolation of Late Metal Terminal Sulfides

Abstract

This Minireview examines the synthesis and characterization of late metal (i.e., groups 8–12) terminal sulfides, along with a discussion of their electronic structures. We discuss both examples where a terminal sulfide was isolated, as well as those examples where a terminal sulfide was invoked as an unobserved intermediate. Additionally, where appropriate, we contextualize our discussion by comparisons to either early metal sulfide chemistry or metal sulfide cluster chemistry. Finally, we describe several possible avenues for future investigation. Late metal terminal sulfides are exceptionally rare – only a handful examples have been isolated – and those examples are either stabilized by hydrogen‐bonding or dative interactions to alkali metals. It is our hope that this Minireview will spur further developments in this exciting, but underexplored field.