Crystal Structure of the Ternary Arsenide CeNi1.91As1.94

A new ternary intermetallic has been obtained in the Ce-Ni-As system, the composition of which is CeNi1.91As1.94 from X-ray single crystal structure determination. The structure is derived from the CaBe2Ge2 type with the following relations between the vectors a, b, and c of the cell and a0, b0, and c0 of the subcell: a = 2a0 - 2b0; b = 2a0 + 2b0 and c = 2c0 (V = 16 V0). The structure takes its origin from compositional and displacive mechanisms. The major structural modifications occur in the nickel-arsenic layers (two per cell) where the nickel atoms are in “square” pyramidal As sites. Moreover, the slight atomic displacements in these layers that develop in the ab plane, lead to As8 clusters, each formed by a central part As4 linked by four apical As ligands. These clusters constrain arsenic to adopt a valence state higher than -3 which in turn involves the lowering of the counterbalancing charge from the nickel substructure. The structure of CeNi1.91As1.94 is compared in details with that of the previously reported URh1.6As1.9.

Na2[(VO)2(HPO4)2C2O4]·2H2O: Crystal Structure Determination from Combined Powder Diffraction and Solid-State NMR

The vanadyl oxalatophosphate Na2[(VO)2(HPO4)2C2O4].2H2O has been synthesized by hydrothermal treatment. Its structure has been determined and refined by combining X-ray powder diffraction and solid-state NMR techniques. It crystallizes with monoclinic symmetry in space group P2(1), a = 6.3534(1) A, b = 17.1614(3) A, c = 6.5632(1) A, beta = 106.597(1) degrees . The structure is related to that of (NH4)2[(VO)2(HPO4)2C2O4].5H2O, which was previously reported. The vanadium phosphate framework consists of infinite [(VO)(HPO4)] chains of corner-sharing vanadium octahedra and hydrogenophosphate tetrahedra. The oxalate groups ensure the connection between the chains to form a 2D structure. The sodium ions and the water molecules are located between the anionic [(VO)2(HPO4)2C2O4]2- layers. The thermal decomposition has been studied in situ by temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry. It takes place in three stages, where the first two correspond to water removal and the last to the decomposition of the oxalate group and water elimination, leading to the final product NaVOPO4.

New mercury vanadium phosphate hydrate Hg(4)(-)(x)()O(1-)(y)()((VO)(PO(4))(2).H(2)O with unprecedented tetrahedral oxo-cluster [Hg( approximately )(4)O( approximately )(5)]

The new mercury vanadium phosphate hydrate Hg(4)(-)(x)()O(1)(-)(y)()(VO)(PO(4))(2).H(2)O has been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. X-ray investigations led to orthorhombic symmetry, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) (No. 19), a = 6.3632(2) A, b = 12.4155(5) A, c = 14.2292(6) A, Z = 4. The crystal structure was solved and refined from single-crystal diffractometer data to residuals R[F(2) > 2sigmaF(2)] = 0.039, R(w)(F(2)) = 0.055. The VPO framework consists of infinite one-dimensional [VO(PO(4))(2)]( infinity ) chains with corner-connected VO(6) octahedra and PO(4) tetrahedra. The chains run along the [100] direction and are held together by the unprecedented tetrahedral cationic units [Hg(4)(-)(x)()O(1)(-)(y)()](4+). Presence of Hg-Hg bonding contacts is proved from theoretical calculations.

Hydrothermal synthesis, thermal, and magnetic data on new alkaline vanadium phosphate My(VO)9 + x(PO4)4x(HPO4)12 - 4x with M = Cs+ (y = 5.29, x = 1) and M = NH4+, Rb+ (y approximately 5, x approximately 1)

Brownish platelet crystals of My(VO)9 + x(PO4)4x(HPO4)12 - 4x (M = Cs+, NH4+ and Rb+) were prepared hydrothermally. The structure of Cs approximately 5(VO)10(PO4)4(HPO4)8 was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group C2/c (No. 15) a = 21.1951(8) A, b = 12.2051(4) A, c = 20.6230(8) A, beta = 109.742(2) degrees, Z = 4 (R1(Fo) = 0.054, wR2(Fo2) = 0.123). The structure of Cs approximately 5(VO)10(PO4)4(HPO4)8 is described and compared to that of K2(VO)3(HPO4)4 previously reported by Lii. For the three compounds, thermogravimetric data and susceptibility measurements were investigated and were found to be in agreement with the structural study.