Stacking polytypes of mixed alkali gallides/indides A 1–2(Ga/In)3 (A=K, Rb, Cs): synthesis, crystal chemistry and chemical bonding

Abstract

Abstract The Ga/In phase width (y) and the distribution of the two triels within the polyanions of known binary (x = 1, 2) and new ternary ‘intermediate’ (x = 1–2) alkali trielides Ax (Ga1− y In y )3 (A = K, Rb, Cs) was investigated in a synthetic (slow cooling of the melts of the three elements), crystallographic (X-ray single crystal) and bond theoretical (FP-LAPW DFT bandstructure calculation) study. The Cs2In3-type structure (x = 2, series A, tetragonal, I 4/mmm) exhibits layers of four-connected closo octahedra [M 6]4−. Ternary K compounds of this type were yielded within a large range (y = 0–0.87), whereas isotypic Rb/Cs trielides exist only at higher In contents (>52/69%). Geometric criteria determine not only the Ga/In stability ranges but also the occurrence of a commensurate superstructure at approx. 33% In (K2Ga2.17In0.83: P 42/ncm, a = 879.83(4), c = 1557.66(10) pm, R 1 = 0.0887), in which the octahedra are slightly tilted against the layers. Cesium compounds of the RbGa3-type structure (x = 1, C, tetragonal, I 4̅m2), which exhibits a 3D network of all-exo bonded closo dodecahedra [M 8]2− and four-bonded M − anions, are stable throughout the whole substitutional range CsGa3–CsIn3. The maximum possible In content increases with increasing size of A + (Cs: 100%, Rb: 30%, K: 8% In). The similarities between these two tetragonal structures are consistent with the occurrence of two new structure types of ‘intermediate’ compounds A 7 M 15 (x = 1.4, 1 B/2 B), which differ in the stacking sequences of double layers of novel six-fold exo-bonded pentagonal bipyramidal closo clusters [M 7]3− connected via four-bonded M − (e.g. 1 B: Cs7Ga8.4In6.6, P 4̅m2, a = 656.23(3), c = 1616.0(1) pm, R 1 = 0.0742; 2 B: Rb7Ga8.1In6.9, P 42/nmc, a = 665.64(2), c = 3140.9(2) pm, R 1 = 0.0720). The Rb/Cs compounds of these types are only stable in a limited Ga/In region and with a distinct Ga/In distribution within the [M 7] clusters. According to the close relation between the structures A, B and C, the structure family is characterised by the occurrence of stacking faults and diffuse scattering, indicating the existence of further members of this series. The new compound Cs5Ga3.1In5.9 (x = 1.667, P 4̅m2, a = 654.62(2), c = 3281.5(2) pm, R 1 = 0.1005) is a reasonably periodically ordered stacking variant containing layers A and double layers B in parallel.