Thermolysis of lanthanide dithiocarbamate complexes

Polycrystalline lanthanide sulfide materials were formed at low temperatures using a single-source precursor based on the lanthanide dithiocarbamate complex. The synthesis temperatures are generally lower than standard solid state preparations, avoid toxic sulfurizing gases and provide a convenient route to prepare lanthanide chalcogenide nanoparticles. Depending on the reaction conditions and oxophilicity of the lanthanide, the sulfide material was formed with oxidized products including oxysulfides, oxysulfates and the oxide.