Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025
![The Synthesis of [Sn10SiSiMe334]2- Using a Metastable SnI Halide Solution Synthesized via a Co-condensation Technique](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F54498.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
The Synthesis of [Sn10SiSiMe334]2- Using a Metastable SnI Halide Solution Synthesized via a Co-condensation Technique
Published on: November 28, 2016
Extending interstitial tetrelides into carbides: synthesis and crystal and electronic structures- of RE2Co2AlC (RE =
Sergey N Nesterenko1, Anna I Tursina1, Alexey N Kuznetsov1
1Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation. anna.i.tursina@gmail.com.
Abstract:
New quaternary compounds RE2Co2AlC (RE = La, Pr, Nd) of the filled W2CoB2 structure type were synthesized by the reaction of samples with the nominal composition RE40Co40Al20 (RE = La, Pr, Nd) and carbon. Single crystal X-ray diffraction data show that the RE2Co2AlC compounds crystallize in a body-centered orthorhombic space group Immm (oI12) with Z = 2 and a = 4.1841(11) Å, b = 6.1161(15) Å, c = 9.091(2) Å (La2Co2AlC); a = 4.1290(9) Å, b = 6.1152(18) Å, c = 8.844(3) Å (Pr2Co2AlC); a = 4.1168(15) Å, b = 6.1131(17) Å, c = 8.792(5) Å (Nd2Co2AlC) and are isotypic to the recently reported Nd2Co2SiC. The structures can be described as interstitial carbides of the W2CoB2 structure type with carbon atoms fully occupying the octahedral voids, which leads to the anisotropic expansion of the unit cell, more pronounced along the b-axis. Electronic structure calculations predict the RE2Co2AlC (RE = La, Pr, Nd) compounds to be metallic. The relative stability of the La2Co2AlX structures where X = C, O, Si, or a vacancy was investigated based on the bonding analysis, which emphasizes the important role that carbon plays in stabilizing the structural motif.
Related Concept Videos
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,...
Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
Alkyl Halides
Alkyl halides are halogen-substituted alkanes wherein one or more hydrogen atoms of an alkane is replaced by a halogen atom such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine. The carbon atom in an alkyl halide is bonded to the halogen atom, which is sp3-hybridized and exhibits a tetrahedral shape.
Unlike alkyl halides, compounds in which a halogen atom is bonded to an sp2 -hybridized carbon atom of a carbon-carbon double bond (C=C) are called vinyl halides. Whereas aryl...
Predicting Molecular Geometry
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
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...

