<
b>The tetraiodopenta
bromide anion
b> [I
b>4b>Br
b>5b>]
− shows a different stereochemistry depending on the type of solvent used to crystallize it. This contrastive relationship is illustrated with a yin–
yang drawing; the Dead Sea (
yang) represents the ionic liquid [HMIM][Br] from which the
syn-[I
b>4b>Br
b>5b>]
− anion was crystallized. The Mediterranean Sea (yin) represents an organic solvent, dichloromethane, from which the
anti-[I
b>4b>Br
b>5b>]
− anion was isolated. Both isomers were characterized
by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. More information can
be found in the Communication
by S. Riedel et al. on
page 244 ff.