Silicophosphates of Rhodium and Indium

Single crystals of Rh(Si₂O)(PO₄)₃ and In₄(Si₂O) · (PO₄)₆ were prepared by chemical transport reactions in silica tubes and their structures were determined. Crystal data of Rh(Si₂O)(PO₄)₃: trigonal, space group P 3 c1, a = 8.088(3) Å, c = 8.740(2) Å, Z = 2, R(F²) = 0.0379, R_w(F²) = 0.0518 for 601 unique reflections. In₄(Si₂O)(PO₄)₆: hexagonal, space group P6₃/m, a = 8.5149(10) Å, c = 7.7481(12) Å, Z = 1, R(F²) = 0.0436, R_w(F²) = 0.0522 for 509 unique reflections. Both of the compounds have hexagonal close packed array of phosphate groups with metal atoms and SiOSi units in the octahedral interstices, where the SiOSi units show occupational disorder. The structure of the indium compound is considered to be a disordered structure of the reported Mo₄Si₂P₆O₁₃ structure, and contains confacial bioctahedral units.