The tantalum derivative TaCl 5 (SOCl 2 ), thermally unstable above 290 K, was prepared from Ta 2 Cl 10 and SOCl 2 and studied by X-ray crystallography at 180 K. Tantalum atom is octahedrally coordinated by five chlorides at Ta±Cl distances comprised between 2.32 and 2.36 A Ê and by the oxygen atom of SOCl 2 at the Ta±O distance of 2.34 A Ê . No evidence for the existence of an analogous compound of niobium(V) has been obtained. The halides of Group 5, M 2 Cl 10 , M = Nb, Ta, react with SeOCl 2 to give the solid adducts MCl 5 (SeOCl 2 ) stable at room temperature. The reaction of NbCl 5 (SeOCl 2 ) with SOCl 2 affords [SeCl 3 ][NbCl 6 ] which contains trigonal-pyramidal (SeCl 3 ) + cations with Se±Cl distances of 2.13±2.16 A Ê and octahedral [NbCl 6 ] ± anions (Nb±Cl: 2.27±2.45 A Ê ). A distorted octahedral coordination around the selenium atom is achieved by additional interactions [Se´´´Cl, 2.81±2.98 A Ê ] between selenium and the [NbCl 6 ] ± anion.