The structures of the ternary Chevrel phases CdMo 6 Se 8 and Cd 2 Mo 6 Se 8 have been studied by several complementary 111 Cd NMR spectroscopic techniques. Specifically, cadmium mobility and bonding properties are probed by temperature and frequency dependent measurements of static line shapes, magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra, and spinlattice relaxation rates. Furthermore, models for the spatial cadmium distribution are tested on the basis of 111 Cd-111 Cd dipole-dipole interactions, measured by spin-echo decay spectroscopy on isotopically labeled materials (97% 111 Cd). CdMo 6 Se 8 undergoes a phase transition near 130 K; the cadmium ions are static on the NMR time scale over the whole temperature range in both phases. The spatial cation distribution is close to homogeneous, and it specifically excludes the presence of Cd-Cd dimers. For the high-temperature phase, the 111 Cd spectra indicate a large degree of static disorder. In addition, the large 111 Cd chemical shift temperature coefficient and fast spin-lattice relaxation reveal strong interactions between the intercalated cadmium atoms and the conduction band wave functions of the Mo 6 Se 8 matrix. This behavior is typical for charge-transfer intercalation compounds in which the conduction band is only partially filled. Cd 2 Mo 6 Se 8 , which crystallizes in the rhombohedral R3 h structure, shows the typical NMR signature of a rigid, semiconducting compound. The intercalated metal species show no apparent interaction with conduction electron wave functions. 111 Cd MAS and spin-echo decay data suggest a disordered atomic distribution of Cd 2+ ions with a minimum Cd-Cd internuclear distance of 258 pm.