Provided are compounds of the formula M.sup.A.sub.1-xM.sup.B.sub.xX.sup.A.sub.1-yX.sup.B.sub.yQ.sup.A.sub.1-zQ.sup.B.sub.z, wherein M.sup.A and M.sup.B are selected from Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb, X.sup.A and X.sup.B are selected from F, Cl, Br and I, Q.sup.A and Q.sup.B are selected from P, As, Sb and Bi, and x, y and z are 0 to 0.5, as well as doped variants thereof, useful as semiconducting materials. Due a double helix structure formed by the constituting atoms, the compounds are particularly suitable to provide nano-materials, in particular nanowires, for diverse applications.