Crystal structure of Mg2(OH)2CO3, deduced from the topotactic thermal decomposition of artinite

By means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction of nondecomposed, partly, and fully decomposed artinite (Mg₂(OH)₂CO₃·3H₂O), it has been shown that the intermediate product of decomposition, Mg₂(OH)₂CO₃, is not amorphous. Its unit cell has been determined and a model of its structure has been deduced, which can account for both the lattice parameters and the relative orientations of the unit cells of artinite, intermediate product, and magnesium oxide found experimentally. The decomposition reaction can be described as a topotactic process with conservation of chains in both and additional conservation of layers in the second step.