X-ray and neutron powder diffraction study of the order-disorder transition in Eu2IrH5 and the mixed crystal compounds Eu2−xAxIrH5 (A=Ca, Sr; x=1.0, 1.5)

The title compounds and their deuterides have been prepared by solid-state and solid-gas reactions from the elements and investigated by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction as a function of temperature. At room temperature they crystallize with an anion-deficient cubic K₂PtCl₆-type structure (space group ) in which five hydrogen (deuterium) atoms surround iridium randomly on six octahedral sites with average bond distances of Ir-D=169-171 pm. At low temperature they undergo a tetragonal deformation (space group I4/mmm) to the partially ordered Sr₂IrD₅ (T=4.2K)-type structure in which four hydrogen (deuterium) atoms occupy planar sites with full occupancy (Ir-D=166-170 pm) and two hydrogen (deuterium) atoms axial sites (Ir-D=174-181 pm) with ∼50% occupancy, i.e., the data are consistent with a mixture of square-pyramidal [IrD₅]⁴⁻ complexes pointing in two opposite directions. The transitions occur at ∼240 K (Eu_0.5Ca_1.5IrD₅, Eu_0.5Sr_1.5IrD₅), ∼210 K (EuSrIrD₅), ∼200 K (EuCaIrD₅, Eu₂IrD₅), and are presumably of first order.