Dy2(SO3)2(SO4)(H2O)2: the first lanthanide mixed sulfate-sulfite inorganic compound

The first lanthanide mixed sulfate-sulfite inorganic coordination polymer, poly[diaqua-μ(4)-sulfato-di-μ(4)-sulfito-didysprosium(III)], [Dy(2)(SO(3))(2)(SO(4))(H(2)O)(2)](n), has been obtained, in which both sulfate and sulfite groups originate from the disproportionation of S(2)O(3)(2-) under hydrothermal and weakly acidic conditions. The crystal structure of the title compound exhibits a three-dimensional framework. The Dy(III) ion is surrounded by eight O atoms from one water molecule and two sulfate and five sulfite groups. These DyO(8) polyhedra have two shared edges and form an infinite zigzag Dy-O chain. In the bc plane, neighbouring chains are integrated through SO(3) trigonal pyramids, forming a two-dimensional sheet. Along the a-axial direction, the sulfate group, with the central S atom lying on a twofold axis, links adjacent two-dimensional sheets via two S-O-Dy connections, thus generating the three-dimensional framework.