Structure of SmCl3, DyCl3, and HoCl3 molecules based on the data of synchronous electron diffraction and mass-spectrometric experiment

Saturated vapors of SmCl₃, DyCl₃, and HoCl₃ have been studied in the framework of a synchronous electron diffraction and mass-spectrometric experiment at temperatures 1205 K, 1160 K, and 1148 K, respectively. In vapors of all compounds, along with monomer molecular forms, an insignificant (up to 2 mol.%) amount of dimers was detected. Parameters of the effective configuration of monomer molecules were determined. For molecules SmCl₃, DyCl₃, and HoCl₃ values of internuclear distances r _g(Ln-Cl) were 2.511(5) Å, 2.453(5) Å, and 2.444(5) Å, values of valence angles ∠_g(Cl-Ln-Cl) were 115.6(11)°, 116.8(10)°, and 116.6(10)°, respectively. It is shown that parameters of the r _g-structure are not incompatible with the notion of a planar equilibrium geometrical configuration of molecules SmCl₃, DyCl₃, and HoCl₃. Main tendencies in the change of structural and vibration characteristics in the series of lanthanide trichlorides are considered.