The Crystal Structures of R3CuSnS7 (R = La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Ho)

Crystal structures of R3CuSnS7 (R = La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Ho) (La3CuSiS7 structure type, space group P63, Pearson symbol hP24) were determined by means of X-ray single crystal diffraction (a = 1.0317(1) nm, c = 0.60274(7) nm, R1 = 0.0202 for La3CuSnS7; a = 1.0209(1) nm, c = 0.60150(7) nm, R1 = 0.0273 for Ce3CuSnS7; a = 1.0075(1) nm, c = 0.60212(6) nm, R1 = 0.0224 for Nd3CuSnS7) and X-ray powder diffraction (a = 1.01417(2) nm, c = 0.60210(2) nm, RBragg = 0.0824 for Pr3CuSnS7; a = 0.99288(2) nm, c = 0.60800(2) nm, RBragg = 0.0926 for Sm3CuSnS7; a = 0.98087(3) nm, c = 0.61511(3) nm, RBragg = 0.0885 for Gd3CuSnS7; a = 0.97512(2) nm, c = 0.61573(2) nm, RBragg = 0.0904 for Tb3CuSnS7; a = 0.97024(2) nm, c = 0.61694(2) nm, RBragg = 0.0918 for Dy3CuSnS7; a = 0.96527(2) nm, c = 0.61731(2) nm, RBragg = 0.0864 for Ho3CuSnS7). The structures are built up from columns of distorted face-sharing sulfur anticuboctahedra arranged along the c-axis. The columns are connected with each other via common edges. The remaining atoms are located in the intercolumnar channels.