K2B12F12: A rare A2X structure for an ionic compound at ambient conditions

The anhydrous salt K₂B₁₂F₁₂ crystallized from aqueous solution and its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The Ni₂In-type structure it exhibits is rare for an A₂X ionic compound at 25 °C and 1 atm., consisting of an expanded hexagonal close-packed array of B₁₂F₁₂²⁻ centroids (cent?cent distances: 7.204-8.236 Å) with half of the K⁺ ions filling all of the O_h holes and half of the K⁺ ions filling all of the D_3h trigonal holes in the close-packed layers that are midway between two “empty” T_d holes. The structure is also unusual in that the bond-valence sum for the K⁺ ions in O_h holes is less than or equal to 0.73 (the bond-valence sum for the other type of K⁺ ion is 1.16). A variation of the Ni₂In structure is exhibited by the previously published monohydrate Cs₂(H₂O)B₁₂F₁₂, for which an improved structure is also reported here. For K₂B₁₂F₁₂: monoclinic, C2/c, a = 8.2072(8), b = 14.2818(7), c = 11.3441(9) Å, β = 92.832(5)°, Z = 4, T = 120(2) K. For Cs₂(H₂O)B₁₂F₁₂: orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, a = 9.7475(4), b = 10.2579(4), c = 15.0549(5) Å, Z = 4, T = 110(1) K.     

Chemical bonding in EuTGe (T=Ni, Pd, Pt) and physical properties of EuPdGe

EuPdGe was prepared from the elements by reaction in a sealed tantalum tube in a high-frequency furnace. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show Curie-Weiss behavior above 60 K with an experimental magnetic moment of 8.0(1)μ_B/Eu indicating divalent europium. At low external fields antiferromagnetic ordering is observed at T_N=8.5(5) K. Magnetization measurements indicate a metamagnetic transition at a critical field of 1.5(2) T and a saturation magnetization of 6.4(1)μ_B/Eu at 5 K and 5.5 T. EuPdGe is a metallic conductor with a room-temperature value of 5000±500 μΩ cm for the specific resistivity. ¹⁵¹Eu Mössbauer spectroscopic experiments show a single europium site with an isomer shift of δ=−9.7(1) mm/s at 78 K. At 4.2 K full magnetic hyperfine field splitting with a hyperfine field of B=20.7(5) T is observed. Density functional calculations show the similarity of the electronic structures of EuPdGe and EuPtGe. T-Ge interactions (T=Pd, Pt) exist in both compounds. An ionic formula splitting Eu²⁺T⁰Ge²⁻ seems more appropriate than Eu²⁺T²⁺Ge⁴⁻ accounting for the bonding in both compounds. Geometry optimizations of EuTGe (T=Ni, Pt, Pd) show weak energy differences between the two structural types.     

LnSrScO4 (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm) systems and structure correlations for A2BO4 (K2NiF4) structure types

The compounds LnSrScO₄, where Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm, have been synthesized. Rietveld profile analysis of powder X-ray diffraction data collected at room temperature reveal that the compounds possess a modified K₂NiF₄-type structure with orthorhombic cell symmetry formed by tilting of the ScO₆ octahedra. Variable temperature (25-1200 °C) powder X-ray diffraction data show that at the highest temperatures the structures of LaSrScO₄ and PrSrScO₄ transform to the regular tetragonal K₂NiF₄-structure type but the degree of orthorhombicity (c/a) in the unit cells initially increases on heating for all materials, reaching a maximum near 300 °C. This structural behavior is analyzed in terms of relative ionic radii of the various lanthanides and scandium. A general structural model based on tolerance factors has been developed for the family of materials A₂BO₄ with various A and B cation sizes.     

Crystal growth and structural investigation of A2BReO6 (A=Sr, Ba; B=Li, Na)

Single crystals of the double perovskite rhenates A₂BReO₆ (A=Sr, Ba; B=Li, Na) were grown out of molten hydroxide fluxes. Single crystals of orange/yellow Ba₂LiReO₆, Ba₂NaReO₆ and Sr₂LiReO₆ were solved in the cubic, Fm-3m space group with a=8.1214(11) Å, 8.2975(3) Å, and 7.9071(15) Å, respectively, while Sr₂NaReO₆ was determined to be monoclinic P2₁/n with a=5.6737(6) Å, b=5.7988(6) Å, c=8.0431(8) Å, and β=90.02(6) °. The cubic structure consists of a rock salt lattice of corner-shared ReO₆ and MO₆ (M=Li, Na) octahedra which, in the monoclinic structure, are both tilted and rotated. A discrepancy exists between the symmetry of Sr₂LiReO₆ indicated by the single-crystal refinement of flux-grown crystals (cubic, Fm-3m) and the symmetry indicated by the powder diffraction data collected on polycrystalline samples prepared by the ceramic method (tetragonal, I4/m). It is possible that the cubic crystals are a kinetic product that forms in small quantities at low temperatures, while the powder represents the more stable polymorph that forms at higher reaction temperature.     

Determination of thermodynamic properties of aqueous mixtures of MgCl2 and Mg(NO3)2 by the potentiometric method at T = 298.15

In this research, thermodynamic properties of the ternary electrolyte system (MgCl₂ + Mg(NO₃)₂ + H₂O) were investigated using a potentiometric method. The galvanic cell used had no liquid junction of type: Mg-ISE|MgCl₂ (m_A), Mg(NO₃)₂ (m_B), H₂O|Ag/AgCl. The measurements were performed at T = 298.15 K and at total ionic strengths from 0.001 to 8.000 mol/kg for different series of salt ratios r=mMgCl₂/mMg₂(NO₃) =1.00, 2.50, 5.00, 7.50, 10.00 and 15.00. The PVC based magnesium ion-selective electrode (Mg-ISE) and the Ag/AgCl electrode used in this work were prepared in our laboratory and showed a reasonably good Nernst response. The Pitzer ion interaction model and Harned rule were used to illustrate the ternary electrolyte system investigated. The experimental results showed that both Pitzer model and Harned rule were suitable to be used satisfactorily to describe this ternary system.     

La3Ru8B6 and Y3Os8B6, new members of a homologous series R(A)nM3n−1B2n

Two new compounds, La₃Ru₈B₆ and Y₃Os₈B₆, were synthesized by arc melting the elements. Their structural characterization was carried out at room temperature on as-cast samples by using X-ray diffractometry. According to X-ray single-crystal diffraction results these borides crystallize in Fmmm space group (no. 69), Z=4, a=5.5607(1) Å, b=9.8035(3) Å, c=17.5524(4) Å, ρ=8.956 Mg/m³, μ=25.23 mm⁻¹ for La₃Ru₈B₆ and a=5.4792(2) Å, b=9.5139(4) Å, c=17.6972(8) Å, ρ=13.343 Mg/m³, μ=128.23 mm⁻¹ for Y₃Os₈B₆. The crystal structure of La₃Ru₈B₆ was confirmed from Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data. Both La₃Ru₈B₆ and Y₃Os₈B₆ compounds are isotypic with the Ca₃Rh₈B₆ compound and their structures are built up from CeCo₃B₂-type and CeAl₂Ga₂-type structural fragments taken in ratio 2:1. They are the members of structural series R(A)_nM_3n−1B_2n with n=3 (R is the rare earth metal, A the alkaline earth metal, and M the transition metal). Structural and atomic parameters were also obtained for La_0.94Ru₃B₂ compound from Rietveld refinement (CeCo₃B₂-type structure, P6/mmm space group (no. 191), a=5.5835(9) Å, c=3.0278(6) Å).     

Crystal growth, structure determination, and optical properties of new potassium-rare-earth silicates K3RESi2O7 (RE=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)

Single crystals of K₃RESi₂O₇ (RE=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) were grown from a potassium fluoride flux. Two different structure types were found for this series. Silicates containing the larger rare earths, RE=Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb crystallize in a structure K₃RESi₂O₇ that contains the rare-earth cation in both a slightly distorted octahedral and an ideal trigonal prismatic coordination environment, while in K₃LuSi₂O₇, containing the smallest of the rare earths, lutetium is found solely in an octahedral coordination environment. The structure of K₃LuSi₂O₇ crystallizes in space group P6₃/mmc with a=5.71160(10) Å and c=13.8883(6) Å. The structures containing the remaining rare earths crystallize in the space group P6₃/mcm with the lattice parameters of a=9.9359(2) Å, c=14.4295(4) Å, (K₃GdSi₂O₇); a=9.88730(10) Å, c=14.3856(3) Å, (K₃TbSi₂O₇); a=9.8673(2) Å, c=14.3572(4) Å, (K₃DySi₂O₇); a=9.8408(3) Å, c=14.3206(6) Å, (K₃HoSi₂O₇); a=9.82120(10) Å, c=14.2986(2) Å, (K₃ErSi₂O₇); a=9.80200(10) Å, c=14.2863(4) Å, (K₃TmSi₂O₇); a=9.78190(10) Å, c=14.2401(3) Å, (K₃YbSi₂O₇). The optical properties of the silicates were investigated and K₃TbSi₂O₇ was found to fluoresce in the visible.     

Single-molecule magnet behavior enhanced by magnetic coupling between 4f and 3d spins

We synthesized and characterized a new compound [{Dy(hfac)₃}₂Pd(dpk)₂] ([Dy₂Pd]; Hdpk = di-2-pyridyl ketoxime), which is isostructural with the known [Dy₂Cu] and [Dy₂Ni]. The study of the [Dy₂Pd] compound containing diamagnetic Pd ion is indispensable to clarify a contribution of the exchange coupling for a 4f-3d single-molecule magnet behavior. From the ac susceptibility measurements on [Dy₂Pd], we obtained Δ/k_B = 28.6(11) K and T_B = 1.1 K. In accordance with the blocking behavior, the pulsed-field magnetization showed the hysteresis behavior below 1.1 K. These parameters on [Dy₂Pd] having S_Pd = 0 was compared with those of the derivatives having S_Cu = 1/2 (Δ/k_B = 47 K and T_B = 1.8 K) and S_Ni = 1 (Δ/k_B = 62(4) K and T_B = 2.5 K). The T_B and Δ steadily increase with the increasing 3d(4d) spin quantum number.     

Excess and deviation properties for the binary mixtures of methylcyclohexane with benzene, toluene, p-xylene, mesitylene, and anisole at T = (298.15, 303.15, and 308.15) K

Experimental data on density, viscosity, and refractive index at T = (298.15, 303.15, and 308.15) K, while speed of sound values at T = 298.15 K are presented for the binary mixtures of (methylcyclohexane + benzene), methylbenzene (toluene), 1,4-dimethylbenzene (p-xylene), 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (mesitylene), and methoxybenzene (anisole). From these data of density, viscosity, and refractive index, the excess molar volume, the deviations in viscosity, molar refraction, speed of sound, and isentropic compressibility have been calculated. The computed values have been fitted to Redlich-Kister polynomial equation to derive the coefficients and estimate the standard errors. Variations in the calculated excess quantities for these mixtures have been studied in terms of molecular interactions between the component liquids and the effects of methyl and methoxy group substitution on benzene ring.     

Crystal structure of Bi1−xTbxFeO3 from high-resolution neutron diffraction

Samples of Bi_1−xTb_xFeO₃, with x=0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25, have been synthesised by solid state reaction. The crystal structures of the perovskite phases, characterised via Rietveld analysis of high resolution powder neutron diffraction data, reveal a structural transition from the R3c symmetry of the parent phase BiFeO₃ to orthorhombic Pnma symmetry, which is complete for x=0.20. The x=0.10 and 0.15 samples are bi-phasic. The transition from a rhombohedral to orthorhombic unit cell is suggested to be driven by the dilution of the stereochemistry of the Bi³⁺ lone pair at the A-site. The G-type antiferromagnetic spin structure, the size of the ordered magnetic moment (∼3.8 μ_B) and the T_N (∼375 °C) are relatively insensitive to increasing Tb concentrations at the A-site.     

Synthesis, structure characterization and optical properties of a new tripotassium cadmium pentaborate, K3CdB5O10

A new ternary borate oxide, K₃CdB₅O₁₀, has been synthesized by solid-state reaction at 580 °C. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a=7.6707 (7) Å, b=19.1765 (17) Å, c=7.8784 (6) Å, β=115.6083 (49)°, and Z=4. The crystal structure consists of a two-dimensional infinite [CdB₅O₁₀] layer, which forms by connecting isolated double ring [B₅O₁₀] groups and CdO₄ tetrahedra. K atoms filling in the interlayer and intralayer link the layers together and balance charge. The IR spectrum has been studied and confirmed the presence of both BO₃ and BO₄ groups, and the UV-vis-IR diffuse reflectance spectrum exhibits a band gap of about 3.4 eV. The DSC analysis proves that K₃CdB₅O₁₀ is a congruent melting compound.     

Temperature behavior of the protonic conductor K4LiH3(SO4)4

The results of the X-ray structural study for the K₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄ single crystal are presented at a wide temperature range. The thermal expansion of the crystal using the X-ray dilatometry and the capacitance dilatometry from 8 to 500 K was carried out. The crystal structures data collection, solution and refinement at 125, 295, 443 and 480 K were performed. The K₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄ crystal has tetragonal symmetry with the P4₁ space group (Z=4) at room temperature as well as at the considered temperature range. The existence of a low-temperature, para-ferroelastic phase transition at about 120 K is excluded. The layered structure of the crystal reflects a cleavage plane parallel to (001) and an anisotropy of the protonic conductivity. The superionic high-temperature phase transition at T_S=425 K is isostructural. Nevertheless, taking into account an increase of the SO₄ tetrahedra libration above T_S, a mechanism of the Grotthus type could be applied for the proton transport explanation.     

Order-disorder at Fe sites in SrFe2/3B″1/3O3 (B″=Mo, W, Te, U) tetragonal double perovskites

We have prepared SrFe_2/3B″_1/3O₃ (B″=Mo, U, Te, and W) double perovskites in polycrystalline form by ceramic methods. Phases with B″=U, Te and W have been studied by X-ray powder diffraction and the results have been compared with neutron diffraction data available for B″=Mo. At room temperature, the stoichiometric samples crystallize in the tetragonal crystal system (space group I4/m, Z=4). Cell parameters when B″=U, Te and W are a=5.6936(1) Å, c=8.0637(1)Å; a=5.5776(1) Å, c=7.9144(3) Å and a=5.5707(3) Å, c=7.9081(5) Å, respectively.The Mössbauer spectra at room temperature for all compounds show hyperfine parameters belonging to two Fe³⁺ sites located at lattice positions with different degrees of distortion. This is in agreement with diffraction data that indicate that the series of compounds display different degrees of Fe-site disorder, which increases in the following sequence: Mo<U<Te<W.     

The non-centrosymmetric borate oxides, MBi2B2O7 (M=Ca, Sr)

Two novel noncentrosymmetric borates oxides, MBi₂B₂O₇ or MBi₂O(BO₃)₂ (MCa, Sr), have been synthesized by solid-state reactions in air at temperatures in the 600-700 °C range. Their crystal structures have been determined ab initio and refined using powder neutron diffraction data. CaBi₂B₂O₇ crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pna2₁ space group with a=8.9371(5) Å, b=5.4771(3) Å, c=12.5912(7) Å, Z=4, R_wp=0.118, χ²=2.30. SrBi₂B₂O₇ crystallizes in the hexagonal P6₃ space group with a=9.1404(4) Å, c=13.0808(6) Å, Z=6, R_wp=0.115, χ²=4.15. Large displacement parameters suggest the presence of disorder in SrBi₂B₂O₇ as also revealed by diffuse 2×a superstructure reflections in electron diffraction patterns. Both structures are built of identical (001) neutral layers of corner-sharing BO₃ triangles and MO₆ trigonal prisms forming six-membered rings in which Bi₂O groups are located. Adjacent layers are stacked in a staggered configuration and connected through weak Bi-O bonds. A moderate efficiency for second harmonic generation (SHG) has been measured for a powder sample of CaBi₂B₂O₇ (d_eff=2d_eff(KDP)).     

Compressibility of CaZrO3 perovskite: Comparison with Ca-oxide perovskites

The evolution of the unit-cell parameters of CaZrO₃ perovskite, an orthorhombic perovskite belonging to space group Pbnm, have been determined to a pressure of 8.7 GPa at room temperature using single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. A fit of a third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state to the pressure-volume data yields values of V₀=258.04(2) Å³, K_T0=154(1) GPa and K₀′=5.9(3). Although CaZrO₃ perovskite does not exhibit any phase transitions in this pressure range, the compression of the structure is anisotropic with [010] approximately 20% less compressible than either [100] or [001]. Compressional moduli for the unit cell parameters are: K_a0=142(1) GPa and K_a0′=4.4(2), K_b0=177(2) GPa and K_b0′=9.4(5), K_c0=146(2) GPa and K_c0′=5.4(4). Comparison with other orthorhombic Ca-oxide perovskites shows that there is systematic increase in compressional anisotropy with increasing distortion from cubic symmetry.     

Crystal chemistry of M[PO2(OH)2]2·2H2O compounds (M=Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Cd): Structural investigation of the Ni, Zn and Cd salts

The compounds M[PO₂(OH)₂]₂·2H₂O (M=Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Cd) were prepared from super-saturated aqueous solutions at room temperature. Single-crystal X-ray structure investigations of members with M=Ni, Zn, Cd were performed at 295 and 120 K. The space-group symmetry is P2₁/n, Z=2. The unit-cell parameters are at 295/120 K for M=Ni: a=7.240(2)/7.202(2), b=9.794(2)/9.799(2), c=5.313(1)/5.285(1) Å, β=94.81(1)/94.38(1)°, V=375.4/371.9 Å³; M=Zn: a=7.263(2)/7.221(2), b=9.893(2)/9.899(3), c=5.328(1)/5.296(2) Å, β=94.79(1)/94.31(2)°, V=381.5/377.5 Å³; M=Cd: a=7.356(2)/7.319(2), b=10.416(2)/10.423(3), c=5.407(1)/5.371(2) Å, β=93.85(1)/93.30(2)°, V=413.4/409.1 Å³. Layers of corner-shared MO₆ octahedra and phosphate tetrahedra are linked by three of the four crystallographically different hydrogen bonds. The fourth hydrogen bond (located within the layer) is worth mentioning because of the short O_h?O bond distance of 2.57-2.61 Å at room temperature (2.56-2.57 Å at 120 K); only for M=Mg it is increased to 2.65 Å. Any marked temperature-dependent variation of the unit-cell dimension is observed only vertical to the layers. The analysis of the infrared (IR) spectroscopy data evidences that the internal PO₄ vibrations are insensitive to the size and the electronic configuration of the M²⁺ ions. The slight strengthening of the intra-molecular P-O bonds in the Mg salt is caused by the more ionic character of the Mg-O bonds. All IR spectra exhibit the characteristic “ABC trio” for acidic salts: 2900-3180 cm⁻¹ (A band), 2000-2450 cm⁻¹ (B band) and 1550-1750 cm⁻¹ (C band). Both the frequency and the intensity of the A band provide an evidence that the PO₂(OH)₂ groups in M[PO₂(OH)₂]₂·2H₂O compounds form weaker hydrogen bonds as compared with other acidic salts with comparable O?O bond distances of about 2.60 Å. The observed shift of the O-H stretching vibrations of the water molecule in the order M=Mg>Mn≈Fe≈Co>Ni>Zn≈Cd has been discussed with respect to the influence of both the character and the strength of M↔H₂O interactions.     

K2Mo4O13 phases prepared by hydrothermal synthesis

Hydrothermal synthesis in the K-Mo oxide system was investigated as a function of the pH of the reaction medium. Four compounds were formed, including two K₂Mo₄O₁₃ phases. One is a new low-temperature polymorph, which crystallizes in the orthorhombic, space group Pbca, with Z=8 and unit cell dimensions a=7.544(1) Å, b=15.394(2) Å, c=18.568(3) Å. The other is the known triclinic K₂Mo₄O₁₃, whose structure was re-determined from single crystal data; its cell parameters were determined as a=7.976(2) Å, b=8.345(2) Å, c=10.017(2) Å, α=107.104(3)°, β=102.885(3)°, γ=109.760(3)°, which are the standard settings of the crystal lattice. The orthorhombic phase converts endothermically into triclinic phase at ca. 730 K with a heat of transition of 8.31 kJ/mol.     

High pressure synthesis and properties of ternary titanium (III) fluorides in the system KF-TiF3 containing regular pentagonal bipyramids [TiF7]

Titanium trifluoride TiF₃ has the distorted ReO₃ structure composed of corner sharing TiF₆ octahedra linked with Ti-F-Ti bridges. Potassium fluoride KF was inserted into the bridges using high-pressure and high-temperature conditions (5 GPa, 1000-1200 °C). When the molar ratio KF/TiF₃≥1, a few low dimensional compounds were obtained forming non-bridged F ions. At the composition KF/TiF₃=1/2, a new compound KTi₂F₇ was formed, which crystallizes with the space group Cmmm and the lattice parameters of a=6.371(3), b=10.448(6), c=3.958(2) Å, consisting of edge-sharing pentagonal bipyramids [TiF₇] forming ribbons running along the a axis. The ribbons are linked by corners to construct a three-dimensional framework without forming non-bridged F ions. The compound is antiferromagnetic with the Néel temperature T_N=75 K, and the optical band gap was 6.4 eV. A new fluoride K₂TiF₅ (KF/TiF₃=2) with the space group Pbcn and the lattice parameters of a=7.4626(2), b=12.9544(4) and c=20.6906(7) Å was also obtained by the high pressure and high temperature treatment (5 GPa at 1000 °C) of a molar mixture of 2 KF+TiF₃. The compound contains one-dimensional chains of corner-sharing TiF₆ octahedra.     

On phase equilibria and crystal structures in the systems Ce-Pd-B and Yb-Pd-B. Physical properties of R2Pd13.6B5 (R=Yb, Lu)

Phase equilibria and crystal structures of ternary compounds were determined in the systems Ce-Pd-B and Yb-Pd-B at 850 °C in the concentration ranges up to 45 and 33 at% of Ce and Yb, respectively, employing X-ray single crystal and powder diffraction. Phase relations in the Ce-Pd-B system at 850 °C are governed by formation of extended homogeneity fields, τ₂-CePd₈B_2−x (0.10<x<0.48); τ₃-Ce₃Pd_25−xB_8−y (1.06<x<1.87; 2.20<y<0.05), and CePd₃B_x (0<x<0.65) the latter arising from binary CePd₃. Crystallographic parameters for the new structure type τ₂-CePd₈B_2−x (space group C2/c, a=1.78104(4) nm, b=1.03723(3) nm, c=1.16314(3), β=118.515(1)° for x=0.46) were established from X-ray single crystal diffraction. The crystal structures of τ₂-CePd₈B_2−x and τ₃-Ce₃Pd_25−xB_3−y are connected in a crystallographic group-subgroup relationship. Due to the lack of suitable single crystals, the novel structure of τ₁-Ce₆Pd_47−xB₆ (x=0.2, C2/m space group, a=1.03594(2) nm, b=1.80782(3) nm, c=1.01997(2) nm, β=108.321(1)°) was determined from Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data applying the structural model obtained from single crystals of homologous La₆Pd_47−xB₆ (x=0.19) (X-ray single crystal diffraction, new structure type, space group C2/m, a=1.03988(2) nm, b=1.81941(5) nm, c=1.02418(2) nm, β=108.168(1)°).The Yb-Pd-B system is characterized by one ternary compound, τ₁-Yb₂Pd₁₄B₅, forming equilibria with extended solution YbPd₃B_x, YbB₆, Pd₅B₂ and Pd₃B. The crystal structures of both Yb₂Pd₁₄B₅ and isotypic Lu₂Pd₁₄B₅ were determined from X-ray Rietveld refinements and found to be closely related to the Y₂Pd₁₄B₅-type (I4₁/amd). The crystal structure of binary Yb₅Pd_2−x (Mn₅C₂-type) was confirmed from X-ray single crystal data and a slight defect on the Pd site (x=0.06) was established.The three structures τ₁-Ce₆Pd_47−xB₆, τ₂-CePd₈B_2−x and τ₃-Ce₃Pd_25−xB_8−y are related and can be considered as the packings of fragments observed in Nd₂Fe₁₄B structure with different stacking of common structural blocks.Physical properties for Yb₂Pd_13.6B₅ (temperature dependent specific heat, electrical resistivity and magnetization) yielded a predominantly Yb-4f¹³ electronic configuration, presumably related with a magnetic instability below 2 K. Kondo interaction and crystalline electric field effects control the paramagnetic temperature domain.     

Synthesis, structure, and magnetism of Tb4PdGa12 and Tb4PtGa12

Single crystals of Tb₄MGa₁₂ (M=Pd, Pt) have been synthesized. The isostructural compounds crystallize in the cubic space group , with Z=2 and lattice parameters: a=8.5940(5) and 8.5850(3) Å for Tb₄PdGa₁₂ and Tb₄PtGa₁₂, respectively. The crystal structure consists of corner-sharing MGa₆ octahedra and TbGa₃ cuboctahedra. Magnetic measurements suggest that Tb₄PdGa₁₂ is an antiferromagnetic metamagnet with a Néel temperature of 16 K, while the Pt analog orders at T_N=12 K.