Single Crystals of NaPrTe2 with LiTiO2‐Type Structure

During attempts to synthesize rare‐earth nitride tellurides black and bead‐shaped single crystals of the title compound sodium praseodymium(III) ditelluride (NaPrTe₂) were obtained as a by‐product by reacting a mixture of praseodymium, sodium azide (NaN₃) and tellurium at 900 °C for seven days in evacuated torch‐sealed silica vessels. NaPrTe₂ crystallizes cubic (space group: Fd3¯m, Z = 16; a = 1285.51(9) pm, V_m = 79.96(1) cm³/mol, R₁ = 0.028 for 146 unique reflections) and exhibits the Na⁺ and Pr³⁺ cations in slightly distorted octahedra of six telluride anions (d(Na—Te) = 325 pm, d(Pr—Te) = 317 pm) each. The main characteristics of this new structure type for alkali‐metal rare‐earth(III) dichalcogenides can be derived from the rock‐salt type structure (NaCl, cubic closest‐packed Te^2— arrangement, all octahedral voids occupied with Na⁺ and Pr³⁺) with alternating layers consisting of Na⁺ and Pr³⁺ cations in a ratio of 3:1 and 1:3, respectively, piled along the 111] direction.