Hydrothermal crystal growth and structure determination of double hydroxides LiSb(OH)₆, BaSn(OH)₆, and SrSn(OH)₆

Colorless single crystals of LiSb(OH)6, SrSn(OH)6, and BaSn(OH)6, which are useful as precursors for the synthesis of LiSbO3, SrSnO3, and BaSnO3, were synthesized by a low-temperature hydrothermal method using a Teflon-lined autoclave at 380 K. The crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. LiSb(OH)6 crystallizes in the trigonal space group P3̅1m with a = 5.3812(3)A, c = 9.8195(7)A, V = 246.25(3)A(3), Z = 2. In this layered structure, [Li2Sb(OH)6](+) and [Sb(OH)6](-) layers are alternately stacked along the c-direction. The [Li2Sb(OH)6](+) layer can be regarded as a cation-ordered CdCl2 layer. The [Sb(OH)6)](-) layer is built up from isolated [Sb(OH)6](-) octahedra, which are linked to each other via hydrogen bonding within the layer. BaSn(OH)6 and SrSn(OH)6 crystallize with monoclinic P21/n space group symmetry. The monoclinic structure possesses a CsCl-type packing of Ba(2+)/Sr(2+) cations and [Sn(OH)6](2-) anions. The [Sn(OH)6](2-) polyhedra are connected to each other through hydrogen bonding to form a three-dimensional framework. The factors that favor these hitherto unknown crystal structures are discussed using a structure map that compares various M(OH)3 and M'M″(OH)6 compounds.