The Oxidation of Heterogeneous Tl/Ni/P‐Alloys — Preparation and Crystal Structures of the Thallium Nickel Phosphates TlNi4(PO4)3, Tl4Ni7(PO4)6, and Tl2Ni4(P2O7)(PO4)2

Single crystals of the first anhydrous thallium nickel phosphates were prepared by reaction of heterogeneous Tl/Ni/P alloys with oxygen. TlNi₄(PO₄)₃ (pale‐yellow, orthorhombic, space group Cmc2₁, a = 6.441(2)Å, b = 16.410(4)Å, c = 9.624(2)Å, Z = 4) crystallizes with a structure closely related to that of NaNi₄(PO₄)₃. Tl₄Ni₇(PO₄)₆ (yellow‐brown, monoclinic, space group Cm, a = 10.711(1)Å, b = 14.275(2)Å, c = 6.688(2)Å, β = 103.50(2)°, Z = 8) is isotypic with Na₄Ni₇(PO₄)₆, and Tl₂Ni₄(P₂O₇)(PO₄)₂ (brown, monoclinic, space group C2/c, a = 10.389(2)Å, b = 13.888(16)Å, c = 18.198(3)Å, β = 103.1(2)°, Z = 8) adopts the K₂Ni₄(P₂O₇)(PO₄)₂ structure. Tl₂Ni₄(P₂O₇)(PO₄)₂ could also be prepared in nearly single phase form by reaction of Tl₂CO₃, NiO, and (NH₄)₂HPO₄.