Expanding the Averievite Family, (MX)Cu5O2(T5+O4)2 (T5+ = P,V; M = K,Rb, Cs,Cu; X = Cl,Br): Synthesis and Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction Study

Averievite-type compounds with the general formula (MX)[Cu₅O₂(TO₄)], where M = alkali metal, X = halogen and T = P, V, have been synthesized by crystallization from gases and structurally characterized for six different compositions: 1 (M = Cs; X = Cl; T = P), 2 (M = Cs; X = Cl; T = V), 3 (M = Rb; X = Cl; T = P), 4 (M = K; X = Br; T = P), 5 (M = K; X = Cl; T = P) and 6 (M = Cu; X = Cl; T = V). The crystal structures of the compounds are based upon the same structural unit, the layer consisting of a kagome lattice of Cu²⁺ ions and are composed from corner-sharing (OCu₄) anion-centered tetrahedra. Each tetrahedron shares common corners with three neighboring tetrahedra, forming hexagonal rings, linked into the two-dimensional [O₂Cu₅]⁶⁺ sheets parallel to (001). The layers are interlinked by (T⁵⁺O₄) tetrahedra (T⁵⁺ = V, P) attached to the bases of the oxocentered tetrahedra in a “face-to-face” manner. The resulting electroneutral 3D framework {[O₂Cu₅](T⁵⁺O₄)₂}⁰ possesses channels occupied by monovalent metal cations M⁺ and halide ions X⁻. The halide ions are located at the centers of the hexagonal rings of the kagome nets, whereas the metal cations are in the interlayer space. There are at least four different structure types of the averievite-type compounds: the P-3m1 archetype, the 2 × 2 × 1 superstructure with the P-3 space group, the monoclinically distorted 1 × 1 × 2 superstructure with the C2/c symmetry and the low-temperature P2₁/c superstructure with a doubled unit cell relative to the high-temperature archetype. The formation of a particular structure type is controlled by the interplay of the chemical composition and temperature. Changing the chemical composition may lead to modification of the structure type, which opens up the possibility to tune the geometrical parameters of the kagome net of Cu²⁺ ions.     

Lead rare-earth oxyhalides: syntheses and characterization of Pb6LaO7X (X = Cl, Br)

Yellowish elongated crystals of the two new compounds Pb6LaO7Br (1) and Pb6LaO7Cl (2) have been obtained by the method of solid-state reactions. Both structures can be described in the terms of oxo-centered tetrahedra. The structures of 1 and 2 consist of [O7Pb6La]+ chains that are built from oxocentered OA4 (A = Pb, La) tetrahedra. The halogen ions connect the chains through weak Pb-X bonds. An arrangement of eight OA4 tetrahedra that all share the same central La atom forms a [O8Pb10La3]13+ cluster. The clusters are linked into chains, and additional OPb4 tetrahedra are attached to the chains. Incorporation of Cl atoms instead of Br atoms into the structure causes a lowering of the symmetry from Cmcm to C2/m.     

First Mixed Alkaline Uranyl Molybdates: Synthesis and Crystal Structures of CsNa3[(UO2)4O4(Mo2O8)] and Cs2Na8[(UO2)8O8(Mo5O20)]

Two new mixed alkaline uranyl molybdates CsNa₃[(UO₂)₄O₄Mo₂O₈] ( 1 ) and Cs₂Na₈[(UO₂)₈O₈(Mo₅O₂₀)] ( 2 ) have been obtained by high‐temperature solid state reactions. Their crystal structures have been solved by direct methods: Compound 1 : triclinic, P , a = 6.46(1), b = 6.90(1), c = 11.381(2) Å, α = 84.3(1), β = 91.91(1), γ = 80.23(1)°, V = 488.6(2) ų, R₁ = 0.06 for 2865 unique reflections with |F_o| ≥ 4σ_F; Compound 2 : orthorhombic, Ibam, a = 6.8460(2), b = 23.3855(7), c = 12.3373(3) Å, V = 1975.2(1) ų, R₁ = 0.049 for 2120 unique reflections with |F_o| ≥ 4σ_F. The structure of 1 contains complex sheets of UrO₅ pentagonal bipyramids and molybdenum polyhedra. The sheets have [(UO₂)₂O₂(MoO₅)] composition. Natrium and cesium atoms are located in the interlayer space. Cesium atoms are situated between the molybdenum clusters, whereas natrium atoms are segregated between the uranyl complexes. The large Cs⁺ ions are localized between the Mo₂O₉ groups and force the molybdenum polyhedra to rotate relative to the [(UO₂)₂O₂(MoO₅)] sheets. Such rotation is impossible for U⁶⁺ polyhedra due to their rigid edge‐sharing complexes. The distance between the U⁶⁺ polyhedra vertices of neighboring layers is 3.8 Å, that allows the Na⁺ ion to be positioned between the uranyl groups. The crystal structure of 2 is based upon a framework consisting of [(UO₂)₂O₂(MoO₅)] sheets parallel to (010). The sheets are linked into a 3‐D framework by sharing vertices with the Mo(2)O₄ tetrahedra, located between the sheets. Each MoO₄ tetrahedron shares two of its corners with two MoO₆ octahedra in the sheet above, and the other two with MoO₆ octahedra of the sheet below. Thus four MoO₆ octahedra and one MoO₄ tetrahedron form chains of composition Mo₅O₁₈. The resulting framework has a system of channels occupied by the Cs⁺ and Na⁺ ions.