Redetermination of the crystal structure of [Na-4(H2O)(14)]SnS4: a compound containing a novel chain of aquated sodium ions

[Na-4(H2O)(14)]SnS4 is obtained by the reaction of Na2S . 9H(2)O with SnCl4 . 5H(2)O in aqueous solution at 21 degreesC. It crystallizes in the space g roup Cc with a = 8.621(2) Angstrom, b = 23.543(5) Angstrom, c = 11.358(2) A ngstrom, beta = 110.58(3)degrees and V = 2158.2 Angstrom (3) with Z = 2. Re finement of 3826 unique reflections from a racemically twinned crystal yiel ded a final value of R-1 = 0.0464(\F\ > 4 sigma) and wR(2) = 0.104 and a go odness of fit of 1.125. The structure consists of a Na+/H2O network support ing the tetrahedral SnS44- anions. Water molecules or sulfide ions octahedr ally coordinate each of the four crystallographically independent Na+ ions. The dominant feature of the structure is the existence of zigzag chains of edgeshared Na octahedra. These chains are tied together into a three-dimen sional network by bridging Na(H2O)(6) octahedra and individual H2O molecule s.