Er3O2F5: Ein Erbiumoxidfluorid mit Vernier‐Struktur

Er₃O₂F₅: An Erbium Oxide Fluoride with Vernier‐Type Structure Attempts to synthesize multinary erbium‐trifluoride derivatives (e. g. Er₃F[Si₃O₁₀], Er₄F₂[Si₂O₇][SiO₄], CsEr₂F₇, and RbEr₃F₁₀) from mixtures of ErOF‐contaminated erbium trifluoride (ErF₃) itself and appropriate other components (such as Er₂O₃ and SiO₂ or CsF and RbF, respectively) frequently resulted in the formation of pale pink, transparent, lath‐shaped single crystals of Er₃O₂F₅ (orthorhombic, Pnma; a = 562.48(5), b = 1710.16(14), c = 537.43(4) pm; Z = 4) as by‐product, typically after seven days at 800 °C and regardless of the applied reaction‐container material (evacuated torch‐sealed silica or silica‐jacketed arc‐welded tantalum capsules). Its crystal structure, often described as a vernier‐type arrangement consisting of two interpenetrating and almost misfitting lattices (ErOF and ErF₃), contains two crystallographically different Er³⁺ cations in the eight‐ and seven‐plus‐one‐fold anionic coordination of bicapped trigonal prisms. Whereas (Er1)³⁺ carries four O^2? and F^? anions each, (Er2)³⁺ resides in the neighbourhood of only two O^2?, but five plus one F^? anions. As the main structural feature, however, one can consider O^2?‐centred (Er³⁺)₄ tetrahedra which share common edges to form linear double strands of the composition . Running parallel to the [100] direction and assembling like a hexagonal closest rod‐packing, their electroneutralization and three‐dimensional interconnection is achieved by three crystallographically independent F^? anions (d(F^??Er³⁺) = 221 ? 251 plus 281 pm) in three‐ and two‐plus‐two‐fold coordination of the Er³⁺ cations, respectively.