High-spin cobalt(II) ions in square planar coordination: structures and magnetism of the oxysulfides Sr2CoO2Cu2S2 and Ba2CoO2Cu2S2 and their solid solution.

The antiferromagnetic structures of the layered oxychalcogenides (Sr(1-x)Ba(x))(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2) (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) have been determined by powder neutron diffraction. In these compounds Co(2+) is coordinated by four oxide ions in a square plane and two sulfide ions at the apexes of an extremely tetragonally elongated octahedron; the polyhedra share oxide vertexes. The magnetic reflections present in the diffraction patterns can in all cases be indexed using a √2a × âˆš2a × c expansion of the nuclear cell, and nearest-neighbor Co(2+) moments couple antiferromagnetically within the CoO(2) planes. The ordered magnetic moment of Co(2+) in Sr(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2) (x = 0) is 3.8(1) µ(B) at 5 K, consistent with high-spin Co(2+) ions carrying three unpaired electrons and with an additional significant unquenched orbital component. Exposure of this compound to moist air is shown to result in copper deficiency and a decrease in the size of the ordered moment to about 2.5 µ(B); there is a strong correlation between the size of the long-range ordered moment and the occupancy of the Cu site. Both the tetragonal elongation of the CoO(4)S(2) polyhedron and the ordered moment in (Sr(1-x)Ba(x))(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2) increase with increasing Ba content, and in Ba(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2), which has Co(2+) in an environment that is close to purely square planar, the ordered moment of 4.5(1) µ(B) at 5 K is over 0.7 µ(B) larger than that in Sr(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2), so the unquenched orbital component in this case is even larger than that observed in octahedral Co(2+) systems such as CoO. The experimental observations of antiferromagnetic ground states and the changes in properties resulting from replacement of Sr by Ba are supported by ab initio calculations on Sr(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2) and Ba(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2). The large orbital moments in these systems apparently result from spin-orbit mixing of the unequally populated d(xz), d(yz), and d(z(2)) orbitals, which are reckoned to be almost degenerate when the CoO(4)S(2) polyhedron reaches its maximum elongation. The magnitudes of the ordered moments in high-spin Co(2+) oxide, oxychalcogenide, and oxyhalide systems are shown to correlate well with the tetragonal elongation of the coordination environment. The large orbital moments lead to an apparently magnetostrictive distortion of the crystal structures below the Neél temperature, with the symmetry lowered from tetragonal I4/mmm to orthorhombic Immm and the size of the distortion correlating well with the size of the long-range ordered moment for all compositions and for temperature-dependent data gathered on Ba(2)CoO(2)Cu(2)S(2).

The absolute configuration of 1-epialexine hemihydrate.

The absolute and relative configurations of 1-epialexine are established by X-ray crystallographic analysis, giving (1S,2R,3R,7S,7aS)-1,2,7-trihydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolizidine. The compound crystallizes as the hemihydrate C(8)H(15)NO(4) x 0.5H(2)O, with hydrogen bonds holding the water molecule in a hydrophilic pocket between epialexine bilayers. In addition, a comparison was made between results obtained from examination of the Bijvoet pairs from data sets collected using molybdenum and copper radiation.

Structural chemistry and metamagnetism of an homologous series of layered manganese oxysulfides.

An homologous series of layered oxysulfides Sr2MnO2Cu(2m-delta)S(m+1) with metamagnetic properties is described. Sr2MnO2Cu(2-delta)S2 (m = 1), Sr2MnO2Cu(4-delta)S3 (m = 2) and Sr2MnO2Cu(6-delta)S4 (m = 3), consist of MnO2 sheets separated from antifluorite-type copper sulfide layers of variable thickness by Sr(2+) ions. All three compounds show substantial and similar copper deficiencies (delta approximately equal to 0.5) in the copper sulfide layers, and single-crystal X-ray and powder neutron diffraction measurements show that the copper ions in the m = 2 and m = 3 compounds are crystallographically disordered, consistent with the possibility of high two-dimensional copper ion mobility. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show high-temperature Curie-Weiss behavior with magnetic moments consistent with high spin manganese ions which have been oxidized to the (2+delta)+ state in order to maintain a full Cu-3d/S-3p valence band, and the compounds are correspondingly p-type semiconductors with resistivities around 25 Omega cm at 295 K. Positive Weiss temperatures indicate net ferromagnetic interactions between moments. Accordingly, magnetic susceptibility measurements and low-temperature powder neutron diffraction measurements show that the moments within a MnO(2) sheet couple ferromagnetically and that weaker antiferromagnetic coupling between sheets leads to A-type antiferromagnets in zero applied magnetic field. Sr2MnO2Cu(5.5)S4 and Sr2MnO2Cu(3.5)S3 are metamagnets which may be driven into the fully ordered ferromagnetic state below 25 K by the application of fields of 0.06 and 1.3 T respectively. The relationships between the compositions, structures, and physical properties of these compounds, and the prospects for chemical control of the properties, are discussed.

Two new structurally related strontium gallium nitrides: Sr4GaN3O and Sr4GaN3(CN2).

The strontium gallium oxynitride Sr(4)GaN(3)O and nitride-carbodiimide Sr(4)GaN(3)(CN(2)) are reported, synthesized as single crystals from molten sodium at 900 degrees C. Red Sr(4)GaN(3)O crystallizes in space group Pbca (No. 61) with a = 7.4002(1) Angstroms, b = 24.3378(5) Angstroms, c = 7.4038(1) Angstroms, and Z = 8, as determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements at 150 K. The structure may be viewed as consisting of slabs [Sr(4)GaN(3)](2+) containing double layers of isolated [GaN(3)](6-) triangular anions arranged in a "herringbone" fashion, and these slabs are separated by O(2-) anions. Brown Sr(4)GaN(3)(CN(2)) has a closely related structure in which the oxide anions in the Sr(4)GaN(3)O structure are replaced by almost linear carbodiimide [CN(2)](2-) anions [Sr(4)GaN(3)(CN(2)): space group P2(1)/c (No. 14), a = 13.4778(2) Angstroms, b = 7.4140(1) Angstroms, c = 7.4440(1) Angstroms, beta = 98.233(1) degrees, and Z = 4].

Vertex-linked ZnO2S2 tetrahedra in the oxysulfide BaZnOS: a new coordination environment for zinc in a condensed solid.

The wide-band-gap semiconductor BaZnOS adopts a high-symmetry modification of the SrZnO2 structure type and contains layers of vertex-linked ZnO2S2 tetrahedra, which represent a novel coordination environment for zinc in the solid state. BaZnOS: orthorhombic, space group Cmcm; a = 3.9619(2) angstroms, b = 12.8541(7) angstroms, c = 6.1175(4) angstroms, Z = 4. Diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy measurements reveal a direct band gap of 3.9(3) eV, consistent with the white color and the results of band structure calculations. The band gap is larger than those observed in ZnO and ZnS, consistent with the more ionic nature of BaZnOS. Attempts to dope this compound electronically have so far not proved possible.

The first ternary tin(II) nitride: NaSnN.

NaSnN with the non-centrosymmetric layered structure type of KSnAs and featuring the new layered Zintl ion [SnN]- is the first example of a ternary nitride containing Sn-N bonds, and the first example of a nitride containing formally divalent tin.

Sr11Ge4N6: a new nitride composed of [GeN2Sr7]4+ antiperovskite-type slabs and [Sr4Ge]4+ layers, separated by sheets of bent [Ge(II)N2]4- ions.

The layered nitride Sr11Ge4N6 contains Ge4- Zintl anions in both [Sr4Ge]4+ layers and [GeN2Sr7]4+ antiperovskite-type slabs which are separated by sheets of bent [Ge(II)N2]4- ions; the observed range of formal germanium oxidation states in nitrides thus extends between +4 and -4.

Synthesis and structure of alkaline earth silicon nitrides: BaSiN(2), SrSiN(2), and CaSiN(2).

The alkaline earth silicon nitrides AESiN(2) (AE = Ca, Sr, Ba) are reported, synthesized as clear, colorless, single crystals from molten sodium at 900-1100 degrees C or, in the cases of BaSiN(2) and SrSiN(2), as white powders by reacting powdered intermetallics AESi with flowing anhydrous ammonia at 550-1000 degrees C. Structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements at 150 K: BaSiN(2) crystallizes in space group Cmca (No. 64) with a = 5.6046(1) A, b = 11.3605(3) A, c = 7.5851(2) A, and Z = 8. The structure consists of pairs of SiN(4) tetrahedra edge-linked to form bow-tie-shaped Si(2)N(6) dimers which share vertexes to form layers and has no analogue in oxide chemistry. SrSiN(2) has a distorted form of this structure (SrSiN(2): space group P2(1)/c (No. 14), a = 5.9750(5) A, b = 7.2826(7) A, c = 5.4969(4) A, beta = 113.496(4) degrees, Z = 4). The structure of CaSiN(2) contains only vertex-sharing SiN(4) tetrahedra, linked to form a three-dimensional stuffed-cristobalite type framework isostructural with KGaO(2) (CaSiN(2): space group Pbca (No. 61), a = 5.1229(3) A, b = 10.2074(6) A, c = 14.8233(9) A, Z = 16).

Electronically driven structural distortions in lithium intercalates of the n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper-type host Y2Ti2O5S2: synthesis, structure, and properties of LixY2Ti2O5S2 (0 < x < 2).

Lithium intercalation into the oxide slabs of the cation-deficient n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper oxysulfide Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) to produce Li(x)Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) (0 < x < 2) is described. Neutron powder diffraction measurements reveal that at low levels of lithium intercalation into Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2), the tetragonal symmetry of the host is retained: Li(0.30(5))Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2), I4/mmm, a = 3.80002(2) A, c = 22.6396(2) A, Z = 2. The lithium ion occupies a site coordinated by four oxide ions in an approximately square planar geometry in the perovskite-like oxide slabs of the structure. At higher levels of lithium intercalation, the symmetry of the cell is lowered to orthorhombic: Li(0.99(5))Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2), Immm, a = 3.82697(3) A, b = 3.91378(3) A, c = 22.2718(2) A, Z = 2, with ordering of Li(+) ions over two inequivalent sites. At still higher levels of lithium intercalation, tetragonal symmetry is regained: Li(1.52(5))Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2), I4/mmm, a = 3.91443(4) A, c = 22.0669(3) A, Z = 2. A phase gap exists close to the transition from the tetragonal to orthorhombic structures (0.6 < x < 0.8). The changes in symmetry of the system with electron count may be considered analogous to a cooperative electronically driven Jahn-Teller type distortion. Magnetic susceptibility and resistivity measurements are consistent with metallic properties for x > 1, and the two-phase region is identified as coincident with an insulator to metal transition.

The cation-deficient Ruddlesden-Popper oxysulfide Y2Ti2O5S2 as a layered sulfide: topotactic potassium intercalation to form KY2Ti2O5S2.

Potassium intercalation into the cation-deficient n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper oxysulfide Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) to form KY(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) has been carried out by reaction of the oxysulfide with potassium vapor in sealed metal tubes at 400 degrees C, potassium naphthalide in THF at 50 degrees C, or potassium in liquid ammonia at temperatures as low as -78 degrees C. Insertion of potassium is topotactic, and although a site 12-coordinate by oxide ions is vacant in the perovskite-type oxide slabs of the structure, potassium is too large to enter this site via the 4-coordinate window, and instead enters the rock-salt-type sulfide layers of the structure which necessitates a 30% increase in the lattice parameter c normal to the layers. In contrast with one of the sodium intercalates of Y(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) (beta-NaY(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2)) in which sodium occupies a tetrahedral site in the sulfide layers, potassium favors an 8-coordinate site which necessitates a relative translation of adjacent oxide slabs. KY(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) is tetragonal: P4/mmm, a = 3.71563(4) A, c = 14.8682(2) A (at 298 K), Z = 1. Although the resistivity (3.4(1) x 10(3) Omega cm) is larger than would be expected for a metal, temperature independent paramagnetism dominates the magnetic susceptibility, and the material is electronically very similar to the analogous sodium intercalate beta-NaY(2)Ti(2)O(5)S(2) which features reduced-titanium-containing oxide layers of very similar geometry and electron count.

Synthesis and structure of Sr3GaN3 and Sr6GaN5: strontium gallium nitrides with isolated planar [GaN3]6- anions.

Two new strontium gallium nitrides were obtained as single crystals by reaction in molten Na. Black Sr(3)GaN(3) is isostructural with its transition metal analogues, Sr(3)MnN(3), Ba(3)MnN(3), Sr(3)CrN(3), Ba(3)CrN(3), and Ba(3)FeN(3), and is the first example of a 313-ternary nitride containing only main group metals. It crystallizes in space group P6(3)/m (No. 176) with a = 7.584(2) A, c = 5.410(3) A, and Z = 2. Black Sr(6)GaN(5) is isostructural with Ca(6)GaN(5) and also with its transition metal analogues, Ca(6)MnN(5) and Ca(6)FeN(5). It crystallizes in space group P6(3)/mcm (No. 193) with a = 6.6667(6) A, c = 12.9999(17) A, and Z = 2. Both Ga compounds contain isolated planar [GaN(3)](6)(-) nitridometallate anions of D(3)(h)() symmetry.