Structure and lithium dynamics of Li2AuSn2--a ternary stannide with condensed AuSn4/2 tetrahedra

The new stannide Li₂AuSn₂ was prepared by reaction of the elements in a sealed tantalum tube in a resistance furnace at 970 K followed by annealing at 720 K for five days. Li₂AuSn₂ was investigated by X‐ray diffraction on powders and single crystals and the structure was refined from single‐crystal data: Z=4, I4₁/amd, a=455.60(7), c=1957.4(4) pm, wR2=0.0681, 278 F² values, 10 parameters. The gold atoms display a slightly distorted tetrahedral tin coordination with Au? Sn distances of 273 pm. These tetrahedra are condensed through common corners leading to the formation of two‐dimensional AuSn_4/2 layers. The latter are connected in the third dimension through Sn? Sn bonds (296 pm). The lithium atoms fill distorted hexagonal channels formed by the three‐dimensional AuSn₂] network. Modestly small ⁷Li Knight shifts are measured by solid‐state NMR spectroscopy that are consistent with a nearly complete state of lithium ionization. The noncubic local symmetry at the tin site is reflected by a nuclear electric quadrupolar splitting in the ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer spectra and a small chemical shift anisotropy evident from ¹¹⁹Sn solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. Variable‐temperature static ⁷Li solid‐state NMR spectra reveal motional narrowing effects at temperatures above 200 K, revealing lithium atomic mobility on the kHz time scale. Detailed lineshape as well as temperature‐dependent spin lattice relaxation time measurements indicate an activation energy of lithium motion of 27 kJ mol^?1.