Hexagonal Double Perovskite Cs2AgCrCl6

The quaternary halide Cs₂AgCrCl₆ was prepared in the form of dark purple crystals by reaction of CsCl, AgCl, and CrCl₃, at 700 °C. It crystallizes in the trigonal Ba₂NiTeO₆‐type structure [space group R3 m, Z = 6, a = 7.2692(4) Å, c = 36.443(2) Å] belonging to the family of perovskite polytypes containing sequences of hexagonal close‐packed layers. Groups of three face‐sharing octahedra, which are occupied in the sequence Ag–Cr–Ag, are connected through corner‐sharing by Cr‐centered octahedra. The UV/Vis/NIR diffuse reflectance spectrum shows absorptions arising from d–d transitions typical of octahedral Cr³⁺ complexes, as confirmed by electronic structure calculations. The compound melts at 506 °C. Magnetic measurements revealed simple paramagnetic behavior consistent with the presence of isolated Cr³⁺ ions.