The nitride-hydride Ba3CrN3H was obtained in single crystalline form using flux growth techniques based on alkaline earth metals. Ba3CrN3H crystallizes in the hexagonal space group P63/m (Nr 176), with the lattice parameters a = 8.0270(2) Å and c = 5.6240(1) Å, Z=2. The structure comprises [CrN3] 5trigonal planar units, and [HBa6] 11+ octahedral units. The presence of anionic hydrogen in the structure has been verified by 1 H NMR experiments. DFT calculations show that the addition of hydrogen increases the stability of the phase versus Ba3CrN3. The two d-electrons of Cr 4+ are located in the non-bonding dz 2 orbital, rendering Ba3CrN3H non-magnetic and insulating.

Single crystals of a new family of layered lanthanide oxychlorides, BaLnOCl (Ln = Gd-Lu), have been synthesized from a molten barium flux. This family crystallizes in the space group I4/mmm (No. 139; Z = 2) with lattice parameters a = 4.3384(1)-4.4541(1) Å and c = 24.5108(7)-24.8448(9) Å. BaLnOCl phases are built up of two different blocks: a perovskite double layer of stoichiometry BaLnO formed by corner-connected LnO tetragonal bipyramids and a puckered rock-salt-like interlayer of composition BaCl. A complete structural study along with bond-valence-sum calculations shows that, for lanthanides larger than gadolinium, the structure becomes unstable. Density functional theory calculations show that the valence-band edge is dominated by oxygen orbitals, whereas the conduction band forms from Ba 5d orbitals. The synthesis of this family suggests a route to other potential multianion phases.

Single crystal synthesis of a new nitride-hydride Ba3CrN3H. X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, and bond-valance sum and density functional theory calculations confirmed the presence and location of the anionic hydrogen in this compound.

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Single crystal synthesis of a new nitride-hydride Ba3CrN3H. X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, and bond-valance sum and density functional theory calculations confirmed the presence and location of the anionic hydrogen in this compound.