Abstract: | Single Crystals of A? Nd2S3, U? Ho2S3, D? Er2S3, and E? Lu2S3 through the Oxidation of Reduced Lanthanide Chlorides with Sulfur The oxidation of reduced chlorides (MCl2) or chloridehydrides (MClHx) of the lanthanides with sulfur (850°C, 7 d, tantalum ampoule) usually results in the formation of their sesquisulfides (M2S3) as the main product. In the presence of appropriate fluxes (e. g., NaCl), they often are obtained as single crystals, and the flux appears to decide which modification is favourized. Single crystals of Nd2S3 , (from NdCl2 + NaCl + S, 2 : 2 : 1, A-type: orthorhombic, Pnma (no. 62), Z = 4; a = 743.97(5), b = 402.78(3), c = 1551.96(9) pm, Vm = 70.015(8) cm3/mol, R , = 0.026, Rw = 0.023), Ho2S3 , (from Na0.25HoClH0.75 + S, 8 : 9, U type: orthorhombic, Pnma (no. 62), Z = 4, a = 1057.24(7), b = 384.48(4), c = 1041.15(7) pm, Vm = 63.716(9) cm3/mol, R , = 0.023, Rw = 0.020), Er2S3 , (from ErClH0.67 + NaCl + S, 2 : 2 : 1, D type: monoclinic, P21/m (no. 11), Z = 6, a = 1744.18(9), b = 398.22(3), c = 1010.13(6) pm, β = 98.688(4)°, Vm = 69.610(7) cm3/mol, R = 0.031, Rw = 0.029) and Lu2S3 , (from LuClH0.67 + NaCl + S, 2 : 2 : 1, E type: trigonal, R3 c (no. 167), Z = 6, a = 672.86(2), c = 1816.84(9) pm, c/a = 2.70, Vm = 71.497(6) cm3/mol, R = 0.023, Rw = 0.020) as well as more systematic general investigations (syntheses of the lanthanide sesquisulfides from the elements in the presence of NaCl as a flux in sealed tantalum containers at 850°C) are the main topic of the work presented here. |