Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Rubidium Lanthanum Tetraacetate,RbLa(CH3COO)4

The anhydrous rubidium tetraacetato lanthanate, RbLa(CH₃COO)₄, is obtained together with Rb₂La(CH₃COO)₅(H₂O) as colourless single crystals from a 1 : 2 mixture of Rb₂CO₃ and La(CH₃COO) · 1.5 H₂O in acetic acid by slow evaporation. The crystal structure [orthorhombic, Pnnm, Z = 2, a = 1242.0(3), b = 1650.1(4), c = 698.0(4) pm, R = 0.028, R_w = 0.071] contains La³⁺ nine coordinate by oxygen atoms of six acetate ligands. The polyhedra are connected to dimers and further to double chains running parallel to [001]. These [La(CH₃COO)₄]^– double chains are surrounded by four like double chains and connected by Rb⁺ ions that are seven coordinate by oxygen atoms.