Ab initio structure determination of lanthanum cyclo-tetratungstate α-La2W2O9 from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction

Abstract Lanthanum tungstate α -La 2 W 2 O 9 has been successfully synthesized by the ceramic route. Its crystal structure was determined ab initio from neutron diffraction data (space group P 1 ; No. 2; a =7.2489(1) A b =7.2878(1) A c =7.0435(1) A α =96.367(1)°, β =94.715(1)°, γ =70.286(1)°; Z =2; reliability factors: R p =6.0%, R wp =6.9%, R B =3.0%). The structure exhibits isolated [W 4 O 18 ] 12− groups in the form of rings involving [WO 6 ] octahedra alternating with [WO 5 ] trigonal bipyramids sharing corners. These rings are inserted in the 3D framework built by the 9- and 10-fold coordination polyhedra of the lanthanum atoms.