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Acta Crystallographica Section E: Crystallographic Communications logoLink to Acta Crystallographica Section E: Crystallographic Communications
. 2020 Sep 11;76(Pt 10):1638–1640. doi: 10.1107/S2056989020012359

Hydro­flux synthesis and crystal structure of Tl3IO

Ralf Albrecht a, Heinrich Menning a, Thomas Doert a, Michael Ruck a,b,*
PMCID: PMC7534229  PMID: 33117579

Single-crystals of thallium(I) iodide oxide Tl3IO were obtained as by-product in a hydro­flux synthesis at 473 K for 10 h. The oxygen atoms center thallium octa­hedra. The [OTl6] octa­hedra share trans faces, forming a linear chain along [001]. Twelve thallium atoms surround each iodine atom in an [ITl12] anti-cubocta­hedron. Thallium and iodine atoms together form a hexa­gonal close-sphere packing, in which every fourth octa­hedral void is occupied by oxygen.

Keywords: crystal structure, hydro­flux synthesis, thallium, oxide iodide, single-crystal XRD

Abstract

Single-crystals of thallium(I) iodide oxide Tl3IO were obtained as by-product in a hydro­flux synthesis at 473 K for 10 h. A potassium hydroxide hydro­flux with a water-base molar ratio of 1.6 and the starting materials TlNO3, RhI3 and Ba(NO3)2 was used, resulting in a few black needle-shaped crystals. X-ray diffraction on a single-crystal revealed the hexa­gonal space group P63/mmc (No. 194) with lattice parameters a = 7.1512 (3) Å and c = 6.3639 (3) Å. Tl3IO crystallizes as hexa­gonal anti-perovskite (anti-BaNiO3 type) and is thus structurally related to the alkali-metal halide/auride oxides M 3 XO (M = K, Rb, Cs; X = Cl, Br, I, Au). The oxygen atoms center thallium octa­hedra. The [OTl6] octa­hedra share trans faces, forming a linear chain along [001]. Twelve thallium atoms surround each iodine atom in an [ITl12] anti-cubocta­hedron. Thallium and iodine atoms together form a hexa­gonal close-sphere packing, in which every fourth octa­hedral void is occupied by oxygen.

Chemical context  

The class of alkali-metal halide/auride oxides comprises several compounds with the general formula M 3 XO (M = K, Rb, Cs; X = Cl, Br, I, Au) (Sitta et al., 1991a ,b ; Feldmann & Jansen, 1995a ,b ,c ; Sabrowsky et al., 1996), Li3BrO (Wortmann et al., 1989), Na3 X′O (X′ = Cl, Br) (Sabrowsky et al., 1988; Hippler et al., 1990). These ternary oxides crystallize typically as anti-perovskites, i.e. in the cubic anti-CaTiO3 type. The cesium derivatives Cs3BrO, Cs3IO and Cs3AuO adopt hexa­gonal anti-perovskite structures (anti-BaNiO3 type), whereas the Cs3ClO crystallizes as anti-NH4CdCl3 type and thus does not form a perovskite structure. The crystal structure of Rb3IO has both face and corner-sharing [ORb6] octa­hedra (anti-BaFeO3–x type). The adopted structure type depends on the size of the alkali-metal and halide/auride ions and their ratio. The stability range of the different perovskite phases can be estimated by using Goldschmidt’s tolerance factor, where larger M and X ions tend to destabilize the cubic anti-perovskite structure resulting in the hexa­gonal polymorph (Babel, 1969; Feldmann & Jansen, 1995b ).

For the synthesis of the title compound, the hydro­flux method was used, which can be classified as inter­mediate between hydro­thermal and flux synthesis (Chance et al., 2013). An approximately equimolar mixture of alkali-metal hydroxide (typically NaOH or KOH) and water is used as reaction medium (Albrecht et al., 2020a ). Good solubility of oxides and hydroxides, highly crystalline reaction products suitable for single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, comparably low reaction temperatures and a pressureless setup are essential advantages of the hydro­flux method. In this communication, we report on the synthesis and crystal structure analysis of the thallium(I) iodide oxide Tl3IO.

Structural commentary  

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction on a black needle revealed the composition Tl3IO and a hexa­gonal structure in the space group P63/mmc (no. 194) with lattice parameters a = 7.1512 (3) Å and c = 6.3639 (3) Å at 100 (1) K. Tl3IO crystallizes as hexa­gonal anti-perovskite (anti-BaNiO3 type; Fig. 1, Tables 1 and 2). The asymmetric unit consists of three atoms, thallium (site symmetry mm2, Wyckoff position 6h), iodine (Inline graphic m2, 2d) and oxygen (Inline graphic m., 2a). The oxygen atoms center thallium octa­hedra. The [OTl6] octa­hedra share trans faces, forming a linear chain along [001]. Twelve thallium atoms surround each iodine atom in a [ITl12] anti-cubocta­hedron (triangular orthobicupola). Thallium and iodine atoms together form a hexa­gonal close-sphere packing, in which every fourth octa­hedral void is occupied by oxygen. Thus, also the thallium atom centers an anti-cubocta­hedron, which has the composition [Tl(I4Tl8)].

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Crystal structure of Tl3IO in P63/mmc, highlighting the one-dimensional chains consisting of [OTl6] octa­hedra. Ellipsoids enclose 99% of the probability density of the atoms.

Table 1. Atomic coordinates and equivalent isotropic displacement parameters (in 10 4 Å2) in Tl3IO at 100 (1) K.

Atom Wyckoff symbol x y z U iso/U eq
Tl 6h 0.1608 (1) 0.3216 (1) 1/4 47 (1)
I 2d 2/3 1/3 1/4 53 (1)
O 2a 0 0 0 68 (7)

Table 2. Anisotropic displacement parameters (in 10 4 Å2) in Tl3IO at 100 (1) K.

Atom U 11 U 22 U 33 U 23 U 12 U 13
Tl 38 (1) 24 (1) 73 (1) 0 0 12 (1)
I 42 (1) 42 (1) 77 (2) 0 0 21 (1)
O 68 (10) 68 (10) 68 (19) 0 0 34 (5)

The [OTl6] octa­hedron is slightly elongated along the chain direction. The O—Tl bond length of 2.549 (1) Å is about 1% longer than in Tl2O, at 2.517 (1) Å (Sabrowsky, 1971). The Tl—O—Tl angles along the chain parallel to c are 94.8 (1)°. The shortest Tl⋯Tl distances in Tl3IO are with 3.449 (1) Å, very similar to those in thallium metal, which has Tl⋯Tl distances of 3.405 (1) and 3.455 (1) Å in its hexa­gonal sphere packing (Barrett, 1958). Accordingly, the [ITl12] anti­cubocta­hedra are also stretched along [001], with Tl—I distances of 3.576 (1) Å and 3.833 (1) Å. Although thallium(I) has a larger ionic radius (1.70 Å for c.n. = 12; Shannon, 1976) than potassium (1.64 Å for c.n. = 12), the M—O, MM and the average M—I distances in Tl3IO are smaller than in K3IO by 3.5%, 7.5% and 1%, respectively (Feldmann & Jansen, 1995b ).

Synthesis and crystallization  

Thallium(I) iodide oxide, Tl3IO, was synthesized in a potassium hydroxide hydro­flux. The reaction was carried out in a PTFE-lined 50 mL Berghof type DAB-2 stainless steel autoclave starting from TlNO3 (0.38 mmol; abcr, 99.5%), RhI3 (0.06 mmol; abcr, 99%), and Ba(NO3)2 (0.19 mmol; VEB Laborchemie Apolda, 99%). Water and potassium hydroxide (86%, Fisher Scientific) in the molar ratio of 1.6:1.0 were added to these compounds. The sealed autoclave was heated at a heating rate of 2 K min−1 to 473 K and after 10 h cooled to room temperature at a rate of 0.1 K min−1. The reaction product after washing with water mainly consisted of thallium(I) iodide, thallium(III) oxide, barium carbonate and a brown powder of an unidentified rhodium-containing compound. A few black single crystals of Tl3IO with a needle-like morphology were found, which are sensitive to water and other protic solvents. In contact with water, the Tl3IO crystals immediately turn yellow, probably due to the formation of thallium(I) hydroxide and thallium(I) iodide, which are both yellow. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy on Tl3IO single-crystals revealed a disproportionately high oxygen content, indicating surface decomposition.

Several experiments failed to exchange rhodium(III) iodide with other iodine sources like potassium iodide, copper(I) iodide or silver(I) iodide. Likewise, experiments without barium nitrate were not successful. However, when both starting materials were used, Tl3IO was obtained reproducibly, also at reaction temperatures of 423 K or 523 K. Similarly, the hydro­thermal synthesis of Na3[Tl(OH)6] starting from thallium(I) sulfate required heavy metal salts like bis­muth nitrate (Giesselbach, 2002). The oxidation of thallium(I) to thallium(III) in this reaction was achieved by oxygen in alkaline solutions (Rich, 2007).

The alkali-metal oxide halides M 3 XO are reported to be very sensitive to traces of moisture or carbon dioxide due to their highly basic nature (Feldmann & Jansen, 1995b ). Remarkably, Tl3IO crystallizes in the presence of water from the hydro­flux. In other experiments, we synthesized a water sensitive oxo­hydroxoferrate (Albrecht et al., 2019) or an oxidation sensitive manganate(V) from hydro­flux (Albrecht et al., 2020b ). Obviously, the activity of water is dramatically reduced in these aqueous salt melts.

Refinement  

Crystal data, data collection and structure refinement details are summarized in Table 3.

Table 3. Experimental details.

Crystal data
Chemical formula Tl3IO
M r 756.01
Crystal system, space group Hexagonal, P63/m m c
Temperature (K) 100
a, c (Å) 7.1512 (3), 6.3639 (3)
V3) 281.85 (3)
Z 2
Radiation type Mo Kα
μ (mm−1) 90.87
Crystal size (mm) 0.09 × 0.05 × 0.03
 
Data collection
Diffractometer Bruker APEXII CCD
Absorption correction Multi-scan (SADABS; Bruker, 2016)
T min, T max 0.113, 0.749
No. of measured, independent and observed [I > 2σ(I)] reflections 15853, 480, 442
R int 0.049
(sin θ/λ)max−1) 0.995
 
Refinement
R[F 2 > 2σ(F 2)], wR(F 2), S 0.018, 0.041, 1.29
No. of reflections 480
No. of parameters 10
Δρmax, Δρmin (e Å−3) 2.80, −2.01

Computer programs: APEX3 and SAINT (Bruker, 2016), SHELXT (Sheldrick, 2015a ), SHELXL (Sheldrick, 2015b ) and OLEX2 (Dolomanov et al., 2009).

Supplementary Material

Crystal structure: contains datablock(s) I. DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020012359/pk2648sup1.cif

e-76-01638-sup1.cif (498.8KB, cif)

Structure factors: contains datablock(s) I. DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020012359/pk2648Isup2.hkl

e-76-01638-Isup2.hkl (42.1KB, hkl)

CCDC reference: 2030857

Additional supporting information: crystallographic information; 3D view; checkCIF report

supplementary crystallographic information

Crystal data

Tl3IO Dx = 8.908 Mg m3
Mr = 756.01 Mo Kα radiation, λ = 0.71073 Å
Hexagonal, P63/mmc Cell parameters from 8223 reflections
a = 7.1512 (3) Å θ = 3.2–46.5°
c = 6.3639 (3) Å µ = 90.87 mm1
V = 281.85 (3) Å3 T = 100 K
Z = 2 Needle, black
F(000) = 608 0.09 × 0.05 × 0.03 mm

Data collection

Bruker APEXII CCD diffractometer 442 reflections with I > 2σ(I)
φ and ω scans Rint = 0.049
Absorption correction: multi-scan (SADABS; Bruker, 2016) θmax = 45.0°, θmin = 3.3°
Tmin = 0.113, Tmax = 0.749 h = −14→14
15853 measured reflections k = −11→14
480 independent reflections l = −11→12

Refinement

Refinement on F2 0 restraints
Least-squares matrix: full w = 1/[σ2(Fo2) + (0.0193P)2] where P = (Fo2 + 2Fc2)/3
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.018 (Δ/σ)max < 0.001
wR(F2) = 0.041 Δρmax = 2.80 e Å3
S = 1.29 Δρmin = −2.01 e Å3
480 reflections Extinction correction: SHELXL-2016/6 (Sheldrick 2015b), Fc*=kFc[1+0.001xFc2λ3/sin(2θ)]-1/4
10 parameters Extinction coefficient: 0.0035 (2)

Special details

Geometry. All esds (except the esd in the dihedral angle between two l.s. planes) are estimated using the full covariance matrix. The cell esds are taken into account individually in the estimation of esds in distances, angles and torsion angles; correlations between esds in cell parameters are only used when they are defined by crystal symmetry. An approximate (isotropic) treatment of cell esds is used for estimating esds involving l.s. planes.

Fractional atomic coordinates and isotropic or equivalent isotropic displacement parameters (Å2)

x y z Uiso*/Ueq
Tl 0.16078 (2) 0.32156 (2) 0.250000 0.00465 (5)
I 0.666667 0.333333 0.250000 0.00534 (7)
O 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.0068 (7)

Atomic displacement parameters (Å2)

U11 U22 U33 U12 U13 U23
Tl 0.00378 (6) 0.00238 (6) 0.00733 (9) 0.00119 (3) 0.000 0.000
I 0.00418 (9) 0.00418 (9) 0.00765 (18) 0.00209 (5) 0.000 0.000
O 0.0068 (10) 0.0068 (10) 0.0068 (19) 0.0034 (5) 0.000 0.000

Geometric parameters (Å, º)

Tl—Tli 3.4494 (3) Tl—Tlvi 3.7538 (1)
Tl—Tlii 3.7538 (1) Tl—Tlvii 3.7018 (3)
Tl—Tliii 3.7538 (1) Tl—Tlviii 3.7018 (3)
Tl—Tliv 3.4494 (3) Tl—O 2.5490 (1)
Tl—Tlv 3.7538 (1) Tl—Oix 2.5490 (1)
Tli—Tl—Tliv 60.0 O—Tl—Tlviii 132.580 (2)
Tliv—Tl—Tliii 62.648 (2) Oix—Tl—Tlviii 132.580 (2)
Tlvii—Tl—Tlvi 90.0 Oix—Tl—Tliv 47.420 (2)
Tli—Tl—Tlviii 180.0 Oix—Tl—Tli 47.420 (2)
Tlv—Tl—Tliii 115.917 (5) O—Tl—Tliii 42.580 (2)
Tliv—Tl—Tlviii 120.0 O—Tl—Tliv 47.420 (2)
Tlii—Tl—Tlv 149.235 (3) Oix—Tl—Tlvii 132.580 (2)
Tli—Tl—Tlvii 120.0 O—Tl—Tlvii 132.580 (2)
Tliii—Tl—Tlvi 149.235 (3) O—Tl—Tli 47.420 (2)
Tliv—Tl—Tlvii 180.0 O—Tl—Tlv 108.774 (4)
Tliv—Tl—Tlvi 90.0 O—Tl—Tlii 42.580 (2)
Tlviii—Tl—Tlvii 60.0 O—Tl—Tlvi 108.774 (4)
Tlv—Tl—Tlvi 54.704 (4) Oix—Tl—Tlvi 42.580 (2)
Tli—Tl—Tlii 62.648 (2) Oix—Tl—Tliii 108.774 (4)
Tli—Tl—Tliii 90.0 O—Tl—Oix 77.242 (5)
Tliv—Tl—Tlii 90.0 Tlx—O—Tli 94.839 (4)
Tlviii—Tl—Tliii 90.0 Tlx—O—Tliii 85.161 (4)
Tlviii—Tl—Tlii 117.352 (2) Tl—O—Tlx 180.0
Tlii—Tl—Tliii 54.704 (4) Tliv—O—Tli 85.161 (4)
Tlvii—Tl—Tlii 90.0 Tl—O—Tlii 94.840 (4)
Tli—Tl—Tlvi 62.648 (2) Tliv—O—Tliii 94.839 (4)
Tli—Tl—Tlv 90.0 Tlx—O—Tlii 85.160 (4)
Tlviii—Tl—Tlvi 117.352 (2) Tlii—O—Tli 94.839 (4)
Tliv—Tl—Tlv 62.648 (2) Tl—O—Tliv 85.160 (4)
Tlii—Tl—Tlvi 115.917 (5) Tl—O—Tliii 94.840 (4)
Tlviii—Tl—Tlv 90.0 Tlx—O—Tliv 94.840 (4)
Tlvii—Tl—Tlv 117.352 (2) Tlii—O—Tliii 85.161 (4)
Tlvii—Tl—Tliii 117.352 (2) Tlii—O—Tliv 180.0
Oix—Tl—Tlii 108.774 (4) Tli—O—Tliii 180.0
Oix—Tl—Tlv 42.580 (2) Tl—O—Tli 85.160 (4)

Symmetry codes: (i) −y, xy, z; (ii) xy, x, −z; (iii) y, −x+y, −z; (iv) −x+y, −x, z; (v) y, −x+y, −z+1; (vi) xy, x, −z+1; (vii) −x+y, −x+1, z; (viii) −y+1, xy+1, z; (ix) −x, −y, z+1/2; (x) −x, −y, −z.

Funding Statement

This work was funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant 438795198 to Michael Ruck.

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Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

Crystal structure: contains datablock(s) I. DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020012359/pk2648sup1.cif

e-76-01638-sup1.cif (498.8KB, cif)

Structure factors: contains datablock(s) I. DOI: 10.1107/S2056989020012359/pk2648Isup2.hkl

e-76-01638-Isup2.hkl (42.1KB, hkl)

CCDC reference: 2030857

Additional supporting information: crystallographic information; 3D view; checkCIF report


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