Intergrowth of hexagonal tungsten bronze and perovskite-like structures: The oxides ACu3M7O21 (A = K,Rb, Cs,TI; M = Nb,Ta)

Seven oxides ACu₃M₇O₂₁ have been isolated with A = K, Rb, Tl, Cs for M = Ta and A = K, Rb, Cs for M = Nb. These phases are orthorhombic: $\text{a ? 28}$ Å, $\text{b ? 7.50}$ Å, and $\text{c ? 7.55}$ Å, probable space group Cmmm. Their structure has been established from an X-ray diffraction study and from high-resolution microscopy observations. The structure consists of an intergrowth of single hexagonal tungsten bronze AM₃O₉ slices and double distorted perovskite Cu₃M₄O₁₂ slabs (M = Nb, Ta) in which copper has a square coordination. The host lattice of these compounds can be considered as the member “n = 1; n′ = 2” of a series of intergrowths corresponding to the formulation |M₃O₉|^H_n|M₂O₆|^P_n′.