ChemInform Abstract: The Binary Tin‐Rich Lanthanum Stannides La₂Sn₅ and La₃Sn₇ — A Structural and Bond Theoretical Study.

Abstract

The Binary Tin-Rich Lanthanum Stannides La 2 Sn 5 and La 3 Sn 7 -A Structural and Bond Theoretical Study. -LaSn3, La2Sn3, and La3Sn7 are synthesized from melts of the elements by slow cooling or arc melting and quenching, and their crystal structures are determined by powder XRD. LaSn3 crystallizes in the cubic space group Pm3m with Z = 1 (Cu3Au-type structure). The structure is an ordered network of [Sn6] octahedra connected via common vertices. La 2 Sn 3 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmmm with Z = 4 (Ce2Sn5-type structure) and La3Sn7 in the orthorhombic space group Cmmm with Z = 2 (Gd3Sn7-type structure). The structures show two-dimensional blocks of corner-sharing [Sn6] octahedra terminated by [Sn5] square pyramids. Isolated Sn zigzag chains are interspersed between these layers. The compounds are further characterized by DFT band structure calculations. -(DUERR, I.; SCHWARZ, M.; ROEHR*, C.; J. Solid State Chem. 184 (2011) 8, 2220-2230, http://dx.