Crystal structure and magnetic properties of two new cobalt selenite halides: Co5(SeO3)4X2 (X=Cl, Br)

Two new isostructural cobalt selenite halides Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂ and Co₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂ have been synthesized. They crystallize in the triclinic system space group P−1 with the following lattice parameters for Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂: a=6.4935(8) Å, b=7.7288(8) Å, c=7.7443(10) Å, α=66.051(11)°, β=73.610(11)°, γ=81.268(9)°, and Z=1. The crystal structures were solved from single-crystal X-ray data, R1=3.73 and 4.03 for Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂ and Co₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂, respectively. The new compounds are isostructural to Ni₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂.Magnetic susceptibility measurements on oriented single-crystalline samples show anisotropic response in a broad temperature range. The anisotropic susceptibility is quantitatively interpreted within the zero-field splitting schemes for Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions. Sharp low-temperature susceptibility features, at T_N=18 and 20 K for Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂ and Co₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂, respectively, are ascribed to antiferromagnetic ordering in a minority magnetic subsystem. In isostructural Ni₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂ magnetically ordered subsystem represents a majority fraction (T_N=46 K). Nevertheless, anisotropic susceptibility of Ni₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂ is dominated at low temperatures by a minority fraction, subject to single-ion anisotropy effects and increasing population of S_z=0 (singlet) ground state of octahedrally coordinated Ni²⁺.     

Stacking faults in a layered cobalt tellurium phosphate oxochloride

The new compound Co₂Te₃(PO₄)O₆Cl was synthesized by chemical reactions in a sealed and evacuated silica tube. The crystal structure was solved from single crystal diffraction data and is made up by charge neutral layers. Within the layers two types of chains are made up by edge sharing [CoO₆] and [CoO₅Cl] polyhedra respectively. The chains are separated by tellurium oxide and phosphate building blocks. There are only weak Van der Waals interactions in between the layers and severe diffuse scattering is observed due to faulted stacking of the layers. Structure solutions in a P-1 triclinic cell and a larger monoclinic cell in P2₁/c are discussed and compared to a computer generated model. The reasons for the stacking faults may be due to that there are two positions available for each layer that results in similar connectivity to the next layer in addition to the relatively wide channels in between the layers that reduce the Van der Waals interactions in between them.     

Anomalous low-temperature behavior of the Co dimers in the oxo-halide CoSb2O3Br2

We report the synthesis, crystal structure determination, magnetic and low-temperature structural properties of a new cobalt antimony oxo-bromide. CoSb₂O₃Br₂ crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system, space group P−1, with the following lattice parameters: a=5.306(3) Å, b=7.812(4) Å, c=8.0626(10) Å, α=88.54(3)°, β=82.17(3)°, γ=80.32(4)°, and Z=2. The crystal structure was solved from single crystal X-ray data and refined on F², R₁=3.08. The structure consists of layers made up by three building blocks, [CoO₄Br₂], [SbO₃Br], and [SbO₃] that are connected via edge- and corner-sharing so that structural Co-Co dimers are formed. The layers have no net charge and are only weakly connected by van der Waals forces to adjacent layers. Above ∼25 K the magnetic susceptibility is independent of the magnetic field and can be very well described by a Curie-Weiss law. Below 25 K the susceptibility passes through a maximum and decreases again that is typical for the onset of long-range antiferromagnetic correlations. Long-range antiferromagnetic ordering is observed below T_N∼9 K indicating substantial inter-dimer exchange coupling between Co-Co dimers within the layers. However, according to the heat capacity results only a minute fraction of the entropy is associated with the long-range ordering transition. The phonon anomalies observed for T<6 K in Raman scattering and an anomaly in the specific heat point to a structural instability leading to a loss of inversion symmetry at lowest temperatures.     

Three new tellurite halides with unusual Te coordinations and iron honeycomb lattice variants

The crystal structure of three new iron and copper-iron tellurite halides are presented; (I) Cu₃Fe₈Te₁₂O₃₂Cl₁₀ that crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pmmn, (II) Fe₈Te₁₂O₃₂Cl₃Br₃ that crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c, and (III) Fe₅(TeO₃)₆Cl₂ that crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1. The crystal structures were solved from single crystal X-ray diffraction data. All three compounds have layered crystal structures where the Fe atoms form variants of the honeycomb lattice. Highly unusual Te⁴⁺ coordination polyhedra are exemplified: [TeO₃₊₁E], [TeO₃XE], [TeO₃₊₁XE], and [TeO₃X₂E] (X=halide ion, E=the lone-pair valence electrons). The crystal structures contain large non-bonding volumes occupied by the stereochemically active lone-pair electrons on Te⁴⁺.