Rubidium Tetrachlorocadmate: X-Ray Diffraction Measurements and an Electronic Structure Study

The structure of Rb₂CdCl₄single crystal at room temperature has been determined from X-ray diffraction of the MoKαline (λ=0.7107 Å). After refinement through blocked least-squares methods, the reliability factorRin the final cycle is 3.07%. The following results have been obtained: tetragonal system, space groupI4/mmm,a=b=5.195(1) Å,c=16.130(1) Å;F(000)=380;Dm=3.243 g/cm³;Z=2. The structure can be viewed as made of layers of CdCl₆octahedra chains (Cd–Cl(1)=2.597(1) Å and Cd–Cl(2)=2.572(1) Å) separated by double slabs of rubidium atoms perpendicular to thecdirection. First-principles density functional theory calculations have been carried out to determine the electronic density distribution. The calculated equilibrium structure is in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data. Electronic density maps have been drawn from ab initio wavefunctions calculated both at the experimental and theoretical equilibrium geometries. Analysis of the calculated atomic populations confirms the highly ionic character of the electronic charge distribution in the crystal.