Lithium and sodium yttrium ortho­silicate oxy­apatite,LiY9(SiO4)6O2 and NaY9(SiO4)6O2, at both 100 K and near room temperature

Lithium yttrium orthosilicate oxyapatite lithium nonayttrium hexakis­(silicate) dioxide], LiY₉(SiO₄)₆O₂, crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group P6₃/m at both 295 and 100 K. The structure closely resembles those of fluorine apatite and sodium yttrium orthosilicate oxyapatite sodium nonayttrium hexakis­(silicate) dioxide], NaY₉(SiO₄)₆O₂, which was also investigated, at 270 and 100 K, in this study. There are two different crystallographic sites for the Y³⁺ ion, which are coordinated by seven and nine O atoms. One‐fourth of the nine‐coordinated site is occupied by Li or Na atoms, thus maintaining charge balance. The Si atom occupies a tetrahedral site. The two compounds show no symmetry change between room temperature and 100 K, and the alterations in structural parameters are small.