Synthese,structure cristalline et analyse vibrationnelle de l'hexathiohypodiphosphate de lithium Li4P2S6

The crystalline compound Li₄P₂S₆ is obtained either by devitrification of Li₄P₂S₇ glass at 450°C with sulfur formation or by crystallisation at 450°C of a Li₂S, P and S melt. The structure determination has been solved by X-ray diffraction on a monocrystal. The unit cell is hexagonal $\text{P6}{}_3\text{mcm}$ with a = 6.070(4), c = 6.577(4) Å, V = 209 ų, Z = 1. Intensities were collected at 293°K with Kα (λ = 0.71069 Å) Mo radiation on an automatic Nonius CAD-4 diffractometer. The structure was solved under the assumption of random disorder of P atoms over two sites (occupancy factor of 0.5). Anisotropic least-squares refinement with W = 1 gave R = 0.047 for 90 independent reflections and 9 variables. The structure is built according to an ABAB sequence sulfur packing. Per unit cell, four out of six octahedral sites are occupied by Li ions, and the other two are statistically filled (0.5) by PP pairs. The PP central bond (2.256(13) Å) links two staggered PS₃ groups (PS = 2.032(5) Å) to form the D_3d symmetry P₂S^4?₆ anion. Infrared and Raman spectra show features very similar to those of Na₄P₂S₆, 6H₂O and M^IIPS₃ compounds. A new assignment in terms of symmetry species is proposed for the P₂S₆ internal modes, which is confirmed by a normal coordinate calculation using a valence force field; the stretching force constants f_PP and f_PS are equal to 1.6 and 2.7 mdyne Å^?1, respectively.