Ternary phases Ta1-xMoxS2 with 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 0.55 have been investigated regarding their intercalation potential using pyridine as guest molecule. Intercalation yields hexagonal phases Ta1-xMoxS2·(pyridine)n. The different phases have been characterized by elemental analysis as well as TGA and powder diffraction patterns, which have been indexed using the space group P3m1. For the compound Ta0.65Mo0.35S2·(pyridine)0.38 a structural model was developed, based on powder diffraction data: P3m1, a =

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... 275(2), c = 12.008(7)Å and Z = 1. During intercalation the stacking sequence of the host lattice is changed from BaB/AcA/CbC to BaB(pyr)/BaB(pyr). Intercalation of pyridine into Ta1-xMoxS2 proceeds via a two-step mechanism. In the first step orthorhombic phases are formed with reduced pyridine content as compared to the final intercalation product; e.g. Ta0.55Mo0.45S2·(pyridine)0.38. The first step intercalation compounds can be obtained by interruption of the intercalation reaction after 7 days.