Einkristallstrukturbestimmungen der kubischen Hochdruckelpasolithe Rb2LiFeF6 und Cs2NaFeF6: Druck-Abstands-Paradoxon ohne Änderung der Koordinationszahl

Single Crystal Structure Determinations of the Cubic High Pressure Elpasolites Rb₂LiFeF₆ and Cs₂NaFeF₆: Pressure-Distance Paradox without Change of Coordination Number At single crystals of metastable high pressure phases of Rb₂LiFeF₆ (a = 824.4 pm) and Cs₂NaFeF₆ (a = 873,9 pm) the parameters of the cubic elpasolite structure (Fm3 m, Z = 4) were determined by X-ray methods. Compared to the 12L-structures of the normal pressure phases (R3 m, hex. Z = 6) only the distances within the 12-coordination, Rb? F = 291.7 resp. Cs? F = 309.9 pm, are compressed by 2–3%. However, the octahedral distances Fe? F = 194.6 pm and Li? F = 217.6 pm resp. Fe? F = 194.9 pm and Na? F = 242.0 pm, are enlarged by 1–4%, though there was no increase in coordination number. This paradoxical behaviour is discussed. Difference Fourier syntheses reveal disorder only for the lithium positions in Rb₂LiFeF₆, which are 30 pm off-center, corresponding to a splitting of distances Li? F into 188, 247 and 4 × 220 pm.