Magnetic Investigations and 151Eu Mössbauer Spectroscopy of MYbSi4N7 with M = Sr,Ba, Eu

The isotypic nitridosilicates MYbSi₄N₇] (M = Sr, Ba, Eu) were obtained by the reaction of the respective metals with Si(NH)₂ in a radiofrequency furnace below 1600 °C. On the basis of powder diffraction data of MYbSi₄N₇] Rietveld refinements of the lattice constants were performed; these confirmed the previously published single‐crystal data. The compounds contain a condensed network of corner‐sharing N(SiN₃)₄] units. The central nitrogen thus exhibits ammonium character. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of MYbSi₄N₇] (M = Sr, Ba, Eu) show paramagnetic behavior with experimental magnetic moments of 3.03(2), (Sr), 2.73(2) (Ba), and 9.17(2) (Eu) μ_B per formula unit. In EuYbSi₄N₇ the europium and ytterbium atoms are in stable divalent and trivalent states, respectively. According to the non‐magnetic character of the alkaline earth cations, ytterbium has to be in an intermediate valence state Yb^III‐x in the strontium and barium compound. Consequently, either a partial exchange N^3—/O^2— resulting in compositions MYb^III‐xSi₄N_7—xO_x] or an introduction of anion defects according to MYb^III‐xSi₄N_7—x/3□_x/3] has to be assumed. The phase width 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 was estimated according to the magnetic measurements. ¹⁵¹Eu Mössbauer spectra of EuYbSi₄N₇] at 78 K show a single signal at an isomer shift of δ = —12.83(3) mm s^—1 subject to quadrupole splitting of ΔE_Q = 5.7(8) mm s^—1, compatible with purely divalent europium.