Crystal Structure of α-Zn2V2O7

Abstract

α-Zn2V2O7 is monoclinic with lattice parameters a = 7.429(5), b = 8.340(3), c = 10.098(3) Å, β = 111.37(5)°, Z = 4 and space group C2/c. The structure was refined using a full matrix least-squares with 1034 reflections measured with a quarter-circle General Electric automatic X-ray diffractometer to a final R value of 0.066. The anion consists of a pair of VO4 tetrahedra sharing an oxygen atom which lies on a two-fold axis. The bridging V—O bond length is 1.775(4) Å while the three independent terminal ones are 1.728(4), 1.704(7), and 1.658(8) Å long. These bond lengths are consistent with the charge character around the individual oxygen atoms. The Zn ions are coordinated to five oxygen atoms with Zn—O bonds ranging from 1.973 to 2.088°Å. The structure is similar to that of α-CU2P2O7 and transforms to the thortvietite structure at about 615 °C.