Synthesis and crystal structure of the novel Pb5Sb2MnO11 compound

The new Pb₅Sb₂MnO₁₁ compound was synthesized using a solid-state reaction in an evacuated sealed silica tube at 650°C. The crystal structure was determined ab initio using a combination of X-ray powder diffraction, electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy (a=9.0660(8)Å, b=11.489(1)Å, c=10.9426(9)Å, S.G. Cmcm, R_I=0.045, R_P=0.059). The Pb₅Sb₂MnO₁₁ crystal structure represents a new structure type and it can be considered as quasi-one-dimensional, built up of chains running along the c-axis and consisting of alternating Mn⁺²O₇ capped trigonal prisms and Sb₂O₁₀ pairs of edge sharing Sb⁺⁵O₆ octahedra. The chains are joined together by Pb atoms located between the chains. The Pb⁺² cations have virtually identical coordination environments with a clear influence of the lone electron pair occupying one vertex of the PbO₅E octahedra. Electronic structure calculations and electron localization function distribution analysis were performed to define the nature of the structural peculiarities. Pb₅Sb₂MnO₁₁ exhibits paramagnetic behavior down to T=5 K with Weiss constant being nearly equal to zero that implies lack of cooperative magnetic interactions.