Heterometallic polymeric clusters containing tetraselenotungstate anion: one-dimensional helical chain [[La(Me2SO)8.

[PPh4]2[WSe4] reacts with an equivalent of [Ag(MeCN)4][ClO4] in DMF to afford a linear polymeric cluster [[Ph4P][(mu-WSe4)Ag]]n (1). Treatment of cluster 1 with excess La(NO3)3.3H2O in Me2SO solution resulted in the formation of a helical chain polymeric cluster [[La(Me2SO)8][(mu-WSe4)3Ag3]]n (2). Cluster 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1/n) with four formula units in a cell of dimensions a = 12.7642(5) A, b = 24.1725(9) A, c = 19.4012(7) A, and beta = 103.546(11) degrees. Refinement by full-matrix least-squares techniques gave final residuals R = 0.0540 and Rw = 0.1116 for 494 variables and 7593 reflections (Fo(2) > 2.0sigma(Fo(2))). The anion [[(mu-WSe4)3Ag3]]n(3n-) in 2 can be described as a butterfly-type SeWSe3Ag2 basic repeating unit linked through interactions with a Ag atom of one fragment and a Ag atom of another to form an intriguing helical array. The CuCN, KCN, and [Et4N]2[WSe4] reaction system resulted in the formation of a novel three-dimensional cluster [[Et4N]2[(mu4-WSe4)Cu4(CN)4]]n (4) either in DMF/2-picoline or in solid at 80 degrees C. Cluster 4 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Fddd with cell constants a = 11.090(2) A, b = 23.206(5) A, c = 23.910(5) A, and Z = 8. Anisotropic refinement with 1510 reflections (Fo(2) > 2.0sigma(Fo(2))) and 82 parameters for all non-hydrogen atoms yielded the values of R = 0.0428 and Rw = 0.0887. The anion structure of 4 is built up from a WSe4Cu4 unit bridged by cyanide ligands to form a three-dimensional cross framework. The air- and moisture-stable polymeric clusters easily decompose into small molecular clusters when treated with ligands such as PPh3 and pyridine (Py). Cluster 2 exhibits both strong optical absorption and an optical self-focusing effect (effective alpha2 = 2.2 x 10(-9) m2.W(-1), n2 = 6.8 x 10(-15) m2.W(-1); examined in a 0.13 mM DMF solution). Cluster 4 shows good photostability in the process of measurement and a large optical limiting effect (the limiting threshold is ca. 0.2 J.cm(-2)).