Alkaline earth metal poly(hydrogen fluorides) hexafluoroarsenates(V) and hexafluorophosphate(V): M2(H2F3)(HF2)2(AF6) (M = Ca, A = As; M = Sr, A = As, P)

New compounds of the type M₂(H₂F₃)(HF₂)₂(AF₆) with M = Ca, A = As and M = Sr, A = As, P) were isolated. Ca₂(H₂F₃)(HF₂)₂(AsF₆) was prepared from Ca(AsF₆)₂ with repeated additions of neutral anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (aHF). It crystallizes in a space group P4₃22 with a = 714.67(10) pm, c = 1754.8(3) pm, V = 0.8963(2) nm³ and Z = 4. Sr₂(H₂F₃)(HF₂)₂(AsF₆) was prepared at room temperature by dissolving SrF₂ in aHF acidified with AsF₅ in mole ratio SrF₂:AsF₅ = 2:1. It crystallizes in a space group P4₃22 with a = 746.00(12) pm, c = 1805.1(5) pm, V = 1.0046(4) nm³ and Z = 4. Sr₂(H₂F₃)(HF₂)₂(PF₆) was prepared from Sr(XeF₂)_n(PF₆)₂ in neutral aHF. It crystallizes in a space group P4₁22 with a = 737.0(3) pm, c = 1793.7(14) pm, V = 0.9744(9) nm³ and Z = 4. The compounds M₂(H₂F₃)(HF₂)₂(AF₆) gradually lose HF at room temperature in a dynamic vacuum or during being powdered for recording IR spectra or X-ray powder ray diffraction patterns. All compounds are isotypical with coordination of nine fluorine atoms around a metal center forming a distorted Archimedian antiprism with one face capped. This is the first example of the compounds in which H₂F₃⁻ and HF₂⁻ anions simultaneously bridge metal centers forming close packed three-dimensional network of polymeric compounds with low solubility in aHF. The HF₂⁻ anions are asymmetric with usual F?F distances of 227.3-228.5 pm. Vibrational frequency (ν₁) of HF₂⁻ is close to that in NaHF₂. The anion H₂F₃⁻ exhibits unusually small F?F?F angle of 95.1°-97.6° most probably as a consequence of close packed structure.