CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF DEHYDRATED CESIUM AND SILVER EXCHANGED ZEOLITE A, CS7.3AG4.7‐A

The structure of $CS_{7.3}Ag_{4.7}Si_{12}Al_{12}O_{48}$, vacuum dehydrated zeolite A with all Na+ ions replaced by $Cs^+$ and $Ag^+$ as indicated, has been determined by single-crystal x-ray diffraction techniques in the cubic space group, Pm3m (a = 12.282 (1) ${\AA}$). The structure was refined to the final error indices $R_1$\;3{\sigma}(I_0)$. Although deydration occurred at $360^{\circ}C$, no silver atoms or clusters have been observed. The 8-ring sites are occupied only by $Cs^+$ ion, and the 4-ring sites only by a single $Ag^+$ ion. The 6-ring sites contain $Ag^+$ and $Cs^+$ ions with $Ag^+$ nearly in 6-ring planes and $Cs^+$ well off them, one on the sodalite unit side. With regard to the 6-rings, the structure can be represented as a superposition of two types of unit cells: about 70 % have $4Ag^+$ and $4Cs^+$ ions, and the remaining 30 % have $3Ag^+$ and $5Cs^+$. In all unit cells, $3Cs^+$ ions lie at the centers of the 8-rings at sites of D4h symmetry; these ions are approximately 0.3 ${\AA}$ further from their nearest framework-oxygen neighbors than the sum of the appropriate ionic radii would indicate. To minimize electrostatic repulsions, the $Cs^+$ ions at Cs(1) are not likely to occupy adjacent 6-rings in the large cavity; they are likely to be tetrahedrally arranged when there are 4.