New mixed-halide, boron-centered zirconium cluster phases with different cation distributions within a cluster framework: syntheses and structures of A[(Zr6B)ClxI14−x] (A=Na or Cs, 0x4)

Two new mixed-halide zirconium cluster phases have been synthesized by solid-state reactions in sealed tantalum containers from the Zr(IV) halides, elemental Zr and B, and NaI or CsCl, respectively. Single-crystal X-ray data were used to determine the crystal structures of Na[(Zr₆B)Cl_3.9I_10.1], and Cs[(Zr₆B)Cl_2.2I_11.8]. Both phases crystallize in a stuffed version of the [Nb₆Cl₁₄] structure type, orthorhombic, space group Cmca (Na[(Zr₆B)Cl_3.87(5)I_10.13]: a=15.787(2) Å, b=14.109(2) Å, c=12.505(2) Å, Z=4, R1(F)=0.0322 and wR2(F²)=0.0842; Cs[(Zr₆B)Cl_2.16(5)I_11.84]: a=15.696(4) Å, b=14.156(4) Å, c=12.811(4) Å, Z=4, R1(F)=0.0404 and wR2(F²)=0.1031). This structure type is constructed of clusters which contain centered (Zr₆Z) octahedra of the type [(Zr₆Z)X₁₂ⁱX₆^a] with Z=B and X=Cl and/or I. In both structures, chlorine and iodine atoms are randomly (to X-rays) distributed on the inner non-cluster-interconnecting ligand positions, whereas those sites which bridge metal octahedra are solely occupied by iodine. The phase widths for both phases have been found to cover 0x4 for A^I[(Zr₆B)Cl_xI_14−x]. Whereas the sodium cations in Na[(Zr₆B)Cl_xI_14−x] occupy 25% of a site which is octahedrally surrounded by halogen atoms, the larger cations in the cesium-containing phase occupy a 12-coordinate site within the cluster network.