Über den H‐ und A‐Typ von La2[Si2O7]

On the H‐ and A‐Type Structure of La₂[Si₂O₇] By thermal decomposition of La₃F₃[Si₃O₉] at 700 °C in a CsCl flux single crystals of a new form of La₂[Si₂O₇] have been found which is called H type (triclinic, P1; a = 681.13(4), b = 686.64(4), c = 1250.23(8) pm, α = 82.529(7), β = 88.027(6), γ = 88.959(6)°; V_m = 87.223(9) cm³/mol, D_x = 5.113(8) g/cm³, Z = 4) continuing Felsche's nomenclature. It crystallizes isotypically to the triclinic K₂[Cr₂O₇] in a structure closely related to that of A–La₂[Si₂O₇] (tetragonal, P4₁; a = 683.83(7), c = 2473.6(4) pm; V_m = 87.072(9) cm³/mol, D_x = 5.122(8) g/cm³, Z = 8). For comparison, the latter has been refined from single crystal data, too. Both the structures can be described as sequence of layers of each of two crystallographically different [Si₂O₇]^6– anions always built up of two corner‐linked [SiO4] tetrahedra in eclipsed conformation with non‐linear Si–O–Si bridges (∢(Si–O–Si) = 128–132°) piled up in [001] direction and aligned almost parallel to the c axis. They differ only in layer sequence: Whereas the double tetrahedra of the disilicate units are tilted alternating to the left and in view direction ([010]; stacking sequence: AB) in H–La₂[Si₂O₇], after layer B there follow due to the 4₁ screw axis layers with anions tilted to the right and tilted against view direction ([010]; stacking sequence: ABA′B′) in A–La₂[Si₂O₇]. The extremely irregular coordination polyhedra around each of the four crystallographically independent La³⁺ cations in both forms (H and A type) consist of eight to ten oxygen atoms in spacing intervals of 239 to 330 pm. The possibility of more or less ordered intermediate forms will be discussed.