Sol-gel approach to preparing germanium disulphide

A sol-gel route to germanium disulphide reported in the literature, via dihydrogen sulphide treatment of germanium tetra-ethoxide, has been re-examined. It has been found that the reported X-ray diffraction pattern of the product previously obtained coincides with germanium dioxide and not disulphide. A repetition of the synthesis, and investigation of the product by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry, shows that germanium disulphide is indeed formed but contamination by oxide is difficult to avoid.