High‐ and low‐temperature La2RuO5 by powder neutron diffraction

The structure of dilanthanum ruthenium pentoxide was solved by powder neutron diffraction at room temperature and 1.5 K. High‐temperature La₂RuO₅ crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c. Upon cooling, the sample undergoes a phase transition to the triclinic low‐temperature form (space group P). This transition leads to pronounced changes in the Ru—O—Ru bond distances, resulting in a dimerization of the ruthenium ions.     

An ordered low‐temperature phase of barium nitro­prusside trihydrate studied by neutron diffraction

Crystals of barium penta­cyano­nitro­syl­ferrate trihydrate (barium nitro­prusside trihydrate), Ba[Fe(CN)₅(NO)]·3H₂O, have been studied by neutron diffraction in order to ex­amine the structural behaviour of the compound in the 20–120 K temperature range and to determine the structure at 105 K. The results show the existence of a new crystal phase of the compound at 80 K (with a duplicated a parameter), which still exists at 20 K. The crystal structure at 105 K shows a rearrangement of the water mol­ecules, which results in an ordered structure with P1 symmetry. Two of the four independent nitro­prusside cations are rotated by 4.5° around the [100] direction.     

The low‐temperature phase of 1,3‐di­bromo‐2,4,6‐tri­methyl­benzene: a single‐crystal neutron diffraction study at 120 and 14 K

In the low‐temperature phase of di­bromo­mesityl­ene (1,3‐di­bromo‐2,4,6‐tri­methyl­benzene), C₉H₁₀Br₂, the mol­ecule deviates significantly from the C_3h molecular symmetry encountered in tri­bromo­mesityl­ene (1,3,5‐tri­bromo‐2,4,6‐tri­methyl­benzene), even for the endocyclic bond angles. An apparent C_2v molecular symmetry is observed. The angle between the normal to the molecular plane and the normal to the (100) plane is ∼20°. The overall displacement was analysed at 120 K with rigid‐body‐motion tensor analysis. The methyl group located intermediate between the two Br atoms is rotationally disordered at both temperatures. This disorder was treated using two different approaches at 14 K, viz. the conventional split‐atom model and a model using the special annular shapes of the atomic displacement parameters that are available in CRYSTALS [Watkin, Prout, Carruthers & Betteridge (1999). Issue 11. Chemical Crystallography Laboratory, Oxford, England], but only through the latter approach at 120 K. The disorder locally breaks the C_2v molecular symmetry at 14 K only. Intra‐ and intermolecular contacts are described and discussed in relation to this methyl‐group disorder. The bidimensional pseudo‐hexagonal structural topology of tri­halogeno­mesityl­enes is altered in di­bromo­mesityl­ene insofar as the (100) molecular layers are undulated and are not coplanar as a result of an alternating tilt angle of ∼34° propagating along the [011] and [01] directions between successive antiferroelectric molecular columns oriented roughly along the a axis.     

A single‐crystal neutron diffraction study of RbTiOAsO4

A rubidium titanyl arsenate single‐crystal has been studied by neutron diffraction (λ = 1.207 Å). The polished sample used was 5 × 3 × 2 mm and was cut from a crystal made by top‐seeded solution growth. The crystal showed severe extinction. It was, however, possible to obtain a structural model with well defined oxy­gen sites and reasonable anisotropic displacement parameters.     

Disorder effects in Mn12–acetate at 83 K

The structure of hexadeca‐μ‐acetato‐tetra­aqua­dodeca‐μ₃‐oxo‐dodecamanganese bis(acetic acid) tetrahydrate, [Mn₁₂O₁₂(CH₃COO)₁₆(H₂O)₄]·2CH₃COOH·4H₂O, known as Mn₁₂–acetate, has been determined at 83 (2) K by X‐ray diffraction methods. The fourfold (S₄) molecular symmetry is disrupted by a strong hydrogen‐bonding interaction with the disordered acetic acid mol­ecule of solvation, which displaces one of the acetate ligands in the cluster. Up to six Mn₁₂ isomers are potentially present in the crystal lattice, which differ in the number and arrangement of hydrogen‐bonded acetic acid mol­ecules. These results considerably improve the structural information available on this molecular nanomagnet, which was first synthesized and characterized by Lis [Acta Cryst. (1980), B 36 , 2042–2046].     

A low‐temperature polymorph of m‐quinquephenyl

A low‐temperature polymorph of 1,1′:3′,1′′:3′′,1′′′:3′′′,1′′′′‐quinquephenyl (m‐quinquephenyl), C₃₀H₂₂, crystallizes in the space group P2₁/c with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The crystal is a three‐component nonmerohedral twin. A previously reported room‐temperature polymorph [Rabideau, Sygula, Dhar & Fronczek (1993). Chem. Commun. pp. 1795–1797] also crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit in the space group P. The unit‐cell volume for the low‐temperature polymorph is 4120.5 (4) ų, almost twice that of the room‐temperature polymorph which is 2102.3 (6) ų. The molecules in both structures adopt a U‐shaped conformation with similar geometric parameters. The structural packing is similar in both compounds, with the molecules lying in layers which stack perpendicular to the longest unit‐cell axis. The molecules pack alternately in the layers and in the stacked columns. In both polymorphs, the only interactions between the molecules which can stabilize the packing are very weak C—H...π interactions.     

The low‐temperature study of d‐ and dl‐camphoric anhydride

The low‐temperature crystal stuctures of d ‐ and dl ‐camphoric anhydride, C₁₀H₁₄O₃, have been determined by X‐ray diffraction methods. Although the two enantiomers crystallize in different space groups, the cell volumes and densities are essentially the same. The six‐membered rings deviate significantly from planarity, both exhibiting half‐boat conformations. The dihedral angle between the six‐ and five‐membered rings is 80.3 (1)° in both cases. The main difference in the molecular stuctures can be described by two torsion angles associated with the H atoms of the methyl substituents. The packing of the racemic and chiral structures are essentially the same.     

A supramolecular assembly containing an unusually short n‐h…n hydrogen bond ‐ an x‐ray and neutron diffraction study

A supramolecular assembly formed between phthalimide and 2‐guanidinobenzimidazole, containing a short 2.692(4)AR N‐H…N hydrogen bond, is reported. The crystal structure of this species was determined by both X‐ray and neutron diffraction. The diffraction data reveal that the proton involved in the short hydrogen bond has been transferred from the phthalimide to the guanidinobenzimidazole to form an ion pair. There is also an interesting stacking interaction between the atoms involved in the short hydrogen bond and the π system of a phthalimide molecule that is approximately 3.3 Å away. The structure is compared with the structure of a similar assembly formed between 4‐nitrophthalimide and 2‐guanidinobenzimidazole.     

A low‐temperature phase of bis(tetrabutylammonium) octa‐μ3‐chlorido‐hexachlorido‐octahedro‐hexatungstate

The title compound, (C₁₆H₃₆N)₂[W₆Cl₁₄], undergoes a reversible phase transition at 268 (1) K. The structure at 150 and 200 K has monoclinic (P2₁/c) symmetry. Both crystallographically independent tungsten chloride cluster anions sit on crystallographic inversion centers [symmetry codes: (−x, −y + 1, −z) and (−x + 1, −y + 2, −z)]. Two previous studies at room temperature describe the structure in the space group P2₁/n with a unit‐cell volume approximately half the size of the low‐temperature unit cell [Zietlow, Schaefer et al. (1986). Inorg. Chem. 25 , 2195–2198; Venkataraman et al. (1999). Inorg. Chem. 38 , 828–830]. The unit cells of the room‐ and low‐temperature polymorphs are closely related. The hydrocarbon chain of one of the tetrabutylammonium cations is disordered at both 150 and 200 K.     

Glycyl‐L‐alanine: a multi‐temperature neutron study

Neutron diffraction data have been collected at 12, 50, 150 and 295 K for the dipeptide glycyl‐L‐alanine, C₅H₁₀N₂O₃, in order to obtain accurate positional and anisotropic displacement parameters for the H atoms. The values of these parameters serve as a benchmark for assessing the equivalent parameters obtained from a so‐called Hirshfeld‐atom refinement of X‐ray diffraction data described elsewhere [Capelli et al. (2014). IUCrJ, 1 , 361–379]. The flexibility of the glycyl‐L‐alanine molecule in the solid and the hydrogen‐bonding interactions as a function of temperature are also considered.     

X‐ray diffraction study of low‐energy carbon‐ion implanted Si(001)

In the search for Si‐ and C‐based crystalline phases in low‐energy ion implanted and electron‐beam annealed Si surface layers, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were performed at grazing incidence on samples of large SiC nanocrystals grown on a 90 nm thick Si layer containing C atoms. Diffraction patterns and reciprocal space maps did not reveal XRD patterns originating from the nanocrystals or the implanted layer, but did show that distortions of the Si crystal structure were introduced into the implanted layer. After annealing, the strain in the implanted layer is reduced, possibly by carbon atoms that have moved to locations close to dislocations and dislocation loops. This investigation underpins the growth theory of the SiC nanocrystals on Si, with carbon atoms migrating to form the nanostructures. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The low‐temperature barium fluoridozirconate variety α‐BaZr2F10

The low‐temperature triclinic variety α‐BaZr₂F₁₀ constitutes a new structure type, less symmetrical than the higher‐temperature β‐variety. It is based on the stacking of double sheets of Zr polyhedra, connecting three different kinds of ZrF₇ polyhedra and one ZrF₈ polyhedron via vertices and edges, separated by corrugated Ba²⁺ layers. It is compared to the high‐temperature β‐variety, directly recrystallizing from barium fluoridozirconate glass, and also to BaTe₂F₁₀ and KTe₂F₉.     

Powder neutron diffraction of SrNbO2N at room temperature and 1.5 K

The structure of strontium niobium dioxygen nitride, SrNbO₂N, has been solved by powder neutron diffraction at room temperature and 1.5 K. SrNbO₂N crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4/mcm, with a = 5.7056 (4) and c = 8.1002 (9) Å at room temperature, and a = 5.6938 (4) and c = 8.0974 (8) Å at 1.5 K. The crystal structure is derived from the cubic perovskite archetype by a slight rotation of the Nb(O,N)₆ octahedra with respect to the tetragonal axis. A partially ordered distribution of oxygen and nitrogen on the anionic sites was found.     

Inelastic neutron scattering study of electron reduction in Mn12 derivatives

We report inelastic neutron scattering (INS) studies on a series of Mn(12) derivatives, [Mn(12)O(12)(O2CC6F5)16(H2O)4]z, in which the number of unpaired electrons in the cluster is varied. We investigated three oxidation levels: z = 0 for the neutral complex, z = -1 for the one-electron reduced species and z = -2 for the two-electron reduced complex. For z = 0, the ground state is S = 10 as in the prototypical Mn12-acetate. For z = -1, we have S = 19/2, and for z = - 2, an S = 10 ground state is retrieved. INS studies show that the axial zero-field splitting parameter D is strongly suppressed upon successive electron reduction: D = -0.45 cm(-1) (z = 0), D = -0.35 cm(-1) (z = -1), and D approximately -0.26 cm(-1) (z = -2). Each electron reduction step is directly correlated to the conversion of one anisotropic (Jahn-Teller distorted) Mn3+ (S = 2) to one nearly isotropic Mn2+ (S = 5/2).     

DFT and TD‐DFT study of iridium complexes with low‐color‐temperature and low‐efficiency roll‐off properties

A series of heteroleptic cyclometalated Ir (III) complexes with low‐color‐temperature and low‐efficiency roll‐off properties, which cause a fast reduction in efficiency when the drive current increases, for organic light‐emitting devices are investigated theoretically to explore their electronic structures and spectroscopic properties. The geometries, electronic structures, lowest‐lying singlet absorptions and triplet emissions of (ptpy)₂Ir(acac), and the theoretically designed models (ptpy)₂Ir(tpip), (F‐ptpy)₂Ir(acac), (F‐ptpy)₂Ir(tpip), (F₂‐ptpy)₂Ir(acac) and (F₂‐ptpy)₂Ir(tpip), are investigated with density functional theory approaches, where ptpy denotes 4‐phenylthieno [3,2‐c] pyridine, acac denotes acetylacetonate, tpip denotes tetraphenylimido‐diphosphinate, F‐ptpy denotes 4‐(3‐fluorophenyl) thieno [3,2‐c] pyridine, and F₂‐ptpy denotes 4‐(2,4‐difluorophenyl) thieno [3,2‐c] pyridine.     

High‐ and low‐temperature phases in isostructural 4‐chloro‐3‐nitroaniline and 4‐iodo‐3‐nitroaniline

The structures of 4‐chloro‐3‐nitroaniline, C₆H₅ClN₂O₂, (I), and 4‐iodo‐3‐nitroaniline, C₆H₅IN₂O₂, (II), are isomorphs and both undergo continuous (second order) phase transitions at 237 and 200 K, respectively. The structures, as well as their phase transitions, have been studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and difference scanning calorimetry experiments. Both high‐temperature phases (293 K) show disorder of the nitro substituents, which are inclined towards the benzene‐ring planes at two different orientations. In the low‐temperature phases (120 K), both inclination angles are well maintained, while the disorder is removed. Concomitantly, the b axis doubles with respect to the room‐temperature cell. Each of the low‐temperature phases of (I) and (II) contains two pairs of independent molecules, where the molecules in each pair are related by noncrystallographic inversion centres. The molecules within each pair have the same absolute value of the inclination angle. The Flack parameter of the low‐temperature phases is very close to 0.5, indicating inversion twinning. This can be envisaged as stacking faults in the low‐temperature phases. It seems that competition between the primary amine–nitro N—H...O hydrogen bonds which form three‐centred hydrogen bonds is the reason for the disorder of the nitro groups, as well as for the phase transition in both (I) and (II). The backbones of the structures are formed by N—H...N hydrogen bonding of moderate strength which results in the graph‐set motif C(3). This graph‐set motif forms a zigzag chain parallel to the monoclinic b axis and is maintained in both the high‐ and the low‐temperature structures. The primary amine groups are pyramidal, with similar geometric values in all four determinations. The high‐temperature phase of (II) has been described previously [Garden et al. (2004). Acta Cryst. C 60 , o328–o330].     

A low‐temperature modification of hexa‐tert‐butyldisilane and a new polymorph of 1,1,2,2‐tetra‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐diphenyldisilane

Crystals of hexa‐tert‐butyldisilane, C₂₄H₅₄Si₂, undergo a reversible phase transition at 179 (2) K. The space group changes from Ibca (high temperature) to Pbca (low temperature), but the lattice constants a, b and c do not change significantly during the phase transition. The crystallographic twofold axis of the molecule in the high‐temperature phase is replaced by a noncrystallographic twofold axis in the low‐temperature phase. The angle between the two axes is 2.36 (4)°. The centre of the molecule undergoes a translation of 0.123 (1) Å during the phase transition, but the conformation angles of the molecule remain unchanged. Between the two tri‐tert‐butylsilyl subunits there are six short repulsive intramolecular C—H...H—C contacts, with H...H distances between 2.02 and 2.04 Å, resulting in a significant lengthening of the Si—Si and Si—C bonds. The Si—Si bond length is 2.6863 (5) Å and the Si—C bond lengths are between 1.9860 (14) and 1.9933 (14) Å. Torsion angles about the Si—Si and Si—C bonds deviate by approximately 15° from the values expected for staggered conformations due to intramolecular steric H...H repulsions. A new polymorph is reported for the crystal structure of 1,1,2,2‐tetra‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐diphenyldisilane, C₂₈H₄₆Si₂. It has two independent molecules with rather similar conformations. The Si—Si bond lengths are 2.4869 (8) and 2.4944 (8) Å. The C—Si—Si—C torsion angles deviate by between −3.4 (1) and −18.5 (1)° from the values expected for a staggered conformation. These deviations result from steric interactions. Four Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds are almost staggered, while the other four Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds are intermediate between a staggered and an eclipsed conformation. The latter Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds are about 0.019 (2) Å longer than the staggered Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds.     

A neutron powder diffraction study of the low- and high-temperature structures of Bi12PbO19

We report the results of a high-resolution powder diffraction study of the low- and high-temperature structures of the compound Bi₁₂PbO₁₉. We find that at room and low temperatures a sillenite structure is adopted in which the anion vacancies are localized to specific locations on the sublattice. At high temperatures the material has a fluorite structure related to that of δBi₂O₃. We discuss the relationship between the structure of the material and its electrical characteristics.     

The low‐temperature phase of di‐tert‐butylsilanediol

The crystal structure of di‐tert‐butyl­silanediol, C₈H₂₀O₂Si, has a reversible phase transition at 211 (2) K. The orthorhombic high‐temperature structure has space group Ibam, with Z′ = , and shows a disordered hydrogen‐bonding system. The low‐temperature structure, determined at 143 (2) K, has a twinned monoclinic cell, with space group C2/c and Z′ = 2, and shows an ordered hydrogen‐bonding system.