Out-of-center "primary" electronic distortions are inherent to the oxide fluoride anions of the early d0 transition metals. In the [NbOF5]2- anion, the Nb5+ moves from the center of the octahedron toward the oxide ligand to form a short Nb=O bond and long trans Nb-F bond. The combined results of single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electronic structure calculations indicate that the primary distortion of the [NbOF5]2- anion is affected by the coordination environment that is created by the three-dimensional extended structure. The formation of bonds between an M(L)4(2+) (M = Cd2+, Cu2+; L = 3-aminopyridine, 4-aminopyridine) cation and the oxide and/or trans-fluoride ligands of the [NbOF5]2- anion weakens the pi component of the Nb=O bond. At the same time, hydrogen bond interactions between the equatorial fluorides and the aminopyridine groups both lengthen the equatorial Nb-F bonds and can further reduce the symmetry of the [NbOF5]2- anion. These combined three-dimensional bond network interactions that serve to lengthen the Nb=O bond and thereby decrease the primary distortion of the [NbOF5]2- anion are illustrated in the structures of three new niobium oxide fluoride phases, [4-apyH]2[Cu(4-apy)4(NbOF5)2] (4-apy = 4-aminopyridine), Cd(3-apy)4NbOF5 (3-apy = 3-aminopyridine), and Cu(3-apy)4NbOF5, that were synthesized and characterized using X-ray diffraction. Crystal data for [4-apyH]2[Cu(4-apy)4(NbOF5)2]: tetragonal, space group /4(1)/ acd (No. 142), with a = 20.8745(8) A, c = 17.2929(9) A, and Z= 8. Cd(3-apy)4NbOF5: tetragonal, space group P4(3) (No. 78), with a = 8.4034(4) A, c = 34.933(3) A, and Z = 4. Cu(3-apy)4NbOF5: monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n (No. 14), with a = 8.822(1) A, b = 16.385(3) A, c = 8.902(1) A, beta = 109.270(3) degrees, and Z = 2.

Low-temperature hydrothermal techniques were used to synthesize single crystals of Ag(4)V(2)O(6)F(2). This previously unreported oxide fluoride phase was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy and was also evaluated as a primary lithium battery cathode. Crystal data: monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n (No. 14), with a = 8.4034(4) A, b = 10.548(1) A, c = 12.459(1) A, beta = 90.314(2) degrees , and Z = 4. Ag(4)V(2)O(6)F(2) (SVOF) exhibits two characteristic regions within the discharge curve, an upper plateau at 3.5 V, and a lower sloped region around 2.3 V from reduction of the vanadium oxide fluoride framework. The material has a nominal capacity of 251 mAh/g, with 148 mAh/g above 3 V. The upper discharge plateau at 3.5 V is nearly 300 mV over the silver reduction potential of the commercial primary battery material, Ag(2)V(4)O(11) (SVO).

No abstract

A new phase of Cd(py) 4 NbOF 5 (py) pyridine) (A) is a rare example of a mixed metal oxide fluoride in an ordered linear chain structure. This phase is of particular interest because it is a polymorph of a previously reported Cd(py) 4 NbOF 5 phase (B) that crystallizes in disordered linear chains. The ordered polymorph A contains two distinct Cd 2+ sites: one which is coordinated to the oxide ligands from two [NbOF 5 ] 2units, and another that is coordinated to two trans fluoride ligands. As a result, the structure of polymorph A features nonpolar linear chains with locally ordered [NbOF 5 ] 2anions. This ordering is explained in terms of the inherent electronic differences between oxide and fluoride ligands. The stabilization provided by π-stacking interactions between pyridine ligands on neighboring chains, as well as the effects of reactant stoichiometry on the general structure of the products in the CdO‚1/2Nb 2 O 5 /(HF) x ‚py/H 2 O system, is also discussed. Crystal data for the ordered Cd(py) 4 NbOF 5 polymorph: monoclinic space group P2 1 /c (No. 14) with a) 14.097(1) Å, b) 16.353(1) Å, c) 10.4380(9) Å,) 95.569(2)°, and Z) 4.