Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Combining Solid-state and Solution-based Techniques: Synthesis and Reactivity of ChalcogenidoplumbatesII or IV
Published on: December 29, 2016
Structure cristalline du composé Hg3-x Sb x (S+Se)2+x I2-x (x ≃ 0.1)
Mohammed Kars1, Adrian Gómez Herrero2, Thierry Roisnel3
1Université Houari-Boumedienne, Faculté de Chimie, Laboratoire Sciences des Matériaux, BP 32 El-Alia 16111 Bab-Ezzouar, Algeria.
Abstract:
Single crystals of the mercury chalcohalide Hg3-x Sb x (S+Se)2+x I2-x (x ≃ 0.1) (mercury anti-mony sulfide selenide iodide), were grown by a chemical transport reaction. The structure contains three independent A (Hg/Sb) atoms; each atom is strongly covalently bonded with two X (Se/S) atoms to form approximately linear X-A-X units. The X-A-X units link to form A 4 X 4 rings, which are combined into infinite crankshaft-type bands running along the [100] direction. Four equatorial E (I/X = Se,S) atoms at relatively long distances complete the distorted octa-hedral coordination of A (Hg/Sb). The crystal under investigation was twinned by non-merohedry with a refined twin domain fraction of 0.814 (6):0.186 (6). The structure is isotypic with Hg3Se2I2 [Beck & Hedderich (2000 ▸). J. Solid State Chem. 151, 73-76], but the current determination reveals a coupled substitution, with partial replacement of Hg(+2) by Sb(+3), balanced by the equivalent substitution of I(-1) by S(-2) and Se(-2). Bond-valence calculations are consistent with this relative substitution model.
Related Concept Videos
Ionic Crystal Structures
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
VSEPR Theory and the Effect of Lone Pairs
Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I
Unit Cells
Predicting Molecular Geometry

