Novel Barium Beryllates Ba[Be2N2] and Ba3[Be5O8]: Syntheses,Crystal Structures and Bonding Properties

Ba[Be₂N₂] was prepared as a yellow‐green microcrystalline powder by reaction of Ba₂N with Be₃N₂ under nitrogen atmosphere. The crystal structure Rietfeld refinements (space group I4/mcm, a = 566.46(5) pm, c = 839.42(9) pm, R_int = 4.73 %, R_prof = 9.16 %) reveal the compound to crystallize as an isotype of the nitridoberyllates A[Be₂N₂] (A = Ca, Sr) consisting of planar 4.8² nets of mutually trigonal planar coordinated Be and N species. Averaged magnetic susceptibility values for the anion [(Be₂N₂)^2?] determined from measurements on A[Be₂N₂] with A = Mg, Ca, Ba allow to derive a diamagnetic increment for N^3? χ_dia = (?13±1stat.) · 10^?6emu mol^?1. Colorless Ba₃[Be₅O₈] was first obtained as an oxidation product of Ba[Be₂N₂] in air. The crystal structure was solved and refined from single crystal X‐ray diffaction data (space group Pnma, a = 942.9(1) pm, b = 1163.47(7) pm, c = 742.1(1) pm, R1 = 2.99 %, wR2 = 7.15 %) and contains infinite rods of Be in trigonal planar, tetrahedral and 3 + 1 coordination by O. The crystal structure is discussed in context with other known oxoberyllates. Electronic structure calculations and electron localization function diagrams for both compounds support the classification as nitrido‐ and oxoberyllate, respectively.