The fascinating noncentrosymmetric copper(II) phosphates synthesized via CsCl salt-inclusion

Targeted crystal growth of uranium gallophosphates via the systematic exploration of the UF4–GaPO4–ACl (A = Cs, Rb) phase space

The flux synthesis of a uranium gallophosphate and a uranium gallate, Cs₄[UO₂Ga₂(PO₄)₄] and Cs₂UO₂Ga₂O₅, and 4 uranium phosphates, [Rb₂Rb_3.93Cl_0.93][(UO₂)₅(PO₄)₅], Rb₁₁[(UO₂)₈(PO₄)₉], Rb_7.6[(UO₂)₈O_8.6F_0.4(PO₄)₂], and Rb₆[(UO₂)₅O₂(PO₄)₄], is reported.

Understanding the Stability of Salt-Inclusion Phases for Nuclear Waste-forms through Volume-based Thermodynamics

Formation enthalpies and Gibbs energies of actinide and rare-earth containing SIMs with silicate and germanate frameworks are reported. Volume-based thermodynamics (VBT) techniques complemented by density functional theory (DFT) were adapted and applied to these complex structures. VBT and DFT results were in closest agreement for the smaller framework silicate structure, whereas DFT in general predicts less negative enthalpies across all SIMs, regardless of framework type. Both methods predict the rare-earth silicates to be the most stable of the comparable structures calculated, with VBT results being in good agreement with the limited experimental values available from drop solution calorimetry.

The structural diversity of halogen-centered secondary building units: two new mixed-metal borate halides with deep-ultraviolet cut-off edges

Categories of halogen-centered SBUs were investigated among borates to elaborate the role of halogen to enrich the structural diversity of borates.

Na3B4O7X (X = Cl, Br): two new borate halides with a 1D Na-X (X = Cl, Br) chain formed by the face-sharing XNa6octahedra

Two new borate halides consist of a B₄O₉framework and a [Na₃Br] chain which have not been found in other alkali metal borate halides.

Synthesis and structure of bismuth(III)-containing noncentrosymmetric phosphates, Cs3KBi2M4(PO4)6Cl (M = Mn, Fe). Monoclinic (Cc) and tetragonal (P43) polymorphs templated by chlorine-centered Cl(Bi2Cs) acentric units

Single crystals of three new noncentrosymmetric (NCS) phosphates, α (1) and β (2) forms of Cs(3)KBi(2)Mn(4)(PO(4))(6)Cl and α-Cs(3)KBi(2)Fe(4)(PO(4))(6)Cl (3), were grown in a reactive CsCl/KCl molten-salt media. Their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods showing that the α form crystallizes in the space group Cc (No. 9), which is in one of the 10 NCS polar crystal classes, m (2/m) while the β form crystallizes in P4(3) (No. 78) of another polar class, 4 (4/m). The unit cell parameters of the α form can be approximately correlated with that of the β form via the 3 × 3 orientation matrix [0.5, 0.5, 0; -0.5, 0.5, 0; 0, 0, 2 sin β]. The structures of these otherwise complicated phosphates exhibit two types of channels with circular and elliptical windows where the Cl-centered Cl(Bi(2)Cs) acentric unit is located. The neighboring acentric units are arranged in a parallel fashion in the α form, resulting in the monoclinic (Cc) lattice, but "antiparallel" in the β form, thus giving the tetragonal (P4(3)) unit cell. 1-3 feature the compatible M-O-P unit that contains four crystallographically independent MO(x) (x = 4, 5) polyhedra, which are connected to the Cl(Bi(2)Cs) acentric unit through one short and one long M(II)···Cl bond. The compositions of 1 and 2 consist of three Mn(2+) (d(5)) and one Mn(3+) (d(4)) per formula unit and that of 3 has three Fe(2+) (d(6)) and one Fe(3+) (d(5)). Bond valence sums reveal that, in the α phase, the trivalent site adopts distorted tetrahedral M(1)(3+)O(4) coordination and, in the β phase, distorted trigonal-bipyramidal M(4)(3+)O(5). Thus far, the iron phase has only been isolated in the α form presumably because of little extra stabilization energy gain if the Fe(2+) d(6) ion were to occupy the M(1)O(4) site. The possible origins pertaining to the structural differences in the α and β forms are discussed.

Synthesis, Crystal and Band Structures, and Properties of a New Mixed Three-Dimensional Framework Metal Pnictidehalide Semiconductor, (Hg6Sb4)(CdI6)

A new, quaternary mercury and cadmium pnictidehalide semiconductor (Hg6Sb4)(CdI6) (1) has been prepared by the solid-state reaction and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 crystallizes in the space group R-3c of the rhombohedral system with four formula units in a cell: a=13.3818(9) A, alpha=90.93 degrees, and V=2395.3(3) A3. The crystal structural novelty of 1 derives from the fact that a 3-D mercury antimonide cationic network interpenetrates with an unusual 3-D cadmium iodide octahedral anionic network through the weak covalent interactions between mercury and iodine atoms to form a mixed 3-D framework. Among them, the cationic moiety features a perovskite-like 3-D network while the anionic moiety is characterized by a 3-D I6 octahedral anionic network with two-thirds I6 octahedra being occupied by Cd atoms. The optical properties were investigated in terms of the diffuse reflectance and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The electronic band structure along with density of states calculated by the density functional theory method indicates that compound 1 is a semiconductor with a direct band gap and that the optical absorption of 1 is mainly ascribed to the charge transitions from I-5p and Sb-5p states to Cd-5s and Hg-6s states.

Destruction of Noncentrosymmetry through Chalcogenide Salt Inclusion

A salt-inclusion samarium selenogermanate compound, NaSmGeSe4 x 0.25 Na2Se was isolated from a reaction of Na2Se, Sm, GeSe2, and Se. The new structure consists of isolated GeSe4 units and bicapped trigonal-prismatic SmSe8, which are linked together to form corrugated anionic layers. The topology of the layer is similar to the well-known layered compounds ALnQE4 (A = K, Rb, Cs; Ln = lanthanide ions; Q = Si, Ge; E = S, Se) with some subtle differences. A selenide anion and Na cations in the interlayer space form interesting structures where Se-centered trigonal-prismatic polyhedra of SeNa6 are edge-shared and pass through a twofold rotation axis. Hence, this compound crystallizes in a centrosymmetric space group in contrast to the noncentrosymmetric structures adopted by the ALnQE4 series of compounds. Raman and diffuse-reflectance spectra were also analyzed for the title compound.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy of a Salt-Inclusion Stannosilicate: [Na3F][SnSi3O9]

A salt-inclusion stannosilicate, [Na3F][SnSi3O9], has been synthesized using a flux-growth method and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure consists of six-membered silicate rings linked via corner sharing by SnIVO6 octahedra to form a 3-D framework that delimits two types of channels. The F atoms and Na atoms are located in the structural channels and form a dimer with the anti-Al2Cl6(g) structure. This stannosilicate adopts a new structure and is the first metal silicate that contains both Na+ and F- ions in the channels. The 19F and 29Si MAS NMR and 23Na MQMAS NMR spectra are consistent with the crystallographic results.