Molybdophyllite: crystal chemistry, crystal structure, OD character and modular relationships with britvinite

OD (order-disorder) character of the crystal structure of godlevskite Ni9 S8

Calorimetry, high-pressure dilatometry, X-ray powder diffraction and electric conduction studies were applied to investigate the phase transitions and physical properties of guanidinium nitrate, (C(NH2)3)+NO3-. Two thermal anomalies related to the first-order and second-order phase transitions were observed at T12 = 296 K and T23 = 384 K, respectively. The transformation at T23 indicates the existence of a new high-temperature phase of guanidinium nitrate, which has been confirmed by the X-ray powder diffraction study. The transition entropies were found to be Delta S12 = 5.7 J mol-1 K and Delta S23 = 1.5 J mol-1 K. The magnitude of the change in the entropy at the 296 K phase transition indicates its order-disorder character. The change in the specific volume at T12 is negative, i.e. Delta V12 = -1.6 cm3 mol-1, and T12 linearly decreases with increasing pressure, with dT12/dp = -24.3 K kbar-1. The deuterization has only a slight effect on the temperatures of the observed phase transitions. Above 320 K an increase in electric conductivity has been noted in the polycrystalline samples of the compound studied. The results of the studies performed suggest that the mechanism of the phase transition at 296 K, accompanied by unusual deformation of the crystals, may be of an electrostatic nature.

A new single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of grumiplucite, HgBi2S4, from Levigliani mine, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy, has allowed the refinement of its crystal structure, confirming its identity with the synthetic analogue. Its crystal structure was refined up to R1 = 0.116 in the space group C2/m, with a 14.1690(16), b 4.0508(4), c 13.9751(14) A, β 118.292(6)°, V 706.29(13) A3. The crystal structure is formed by (001) layers, built up by Bi2S4 rods running along b, connected through Hg2+ ions in the [100] direction. Each rod is built up by chains of edge-sharing square-pyramidal BiS5 polyhedra, paired through the apical Bi–S bonds. Adjacent layers are connected through weaker Bi–S bonds, in agreement with the good {001} cleavage of grumiplucite. Grumiplucite has an order–disorder (OD) character and can be described as formed by equivalent layers having a layer symmetry C 1 2/m 1, with translation vectors a = 14.161, b = 4.051, c0 = 6.18 A, β 90°. Applying the OD theory, two Maximum Degree of Order (MDO) polytypes were derived. MDO1 polytype is orthorhombic, with space group Ccm21, with a 14.16, b 4.05, c 12.36 A, whereas the MDO2 polytype, corresponding to the refined structure, is monoclinic, space group C2/m, with a 14.16, b 4.05, c 14.2 A, β 119.9°, in satisfying agreement with experimental data. Grumiplucite is a member of the pavonite homologous series and is structurally related to kudriavite (Cd,Pb)Bi2S4, and some synthetic compounds. In addition, appealing structural relationships occur also with livingstonite, HgSb4S8.

Technogenic steklite, KAl(SO4)2, and unnamed mineral phase (K,Na)3Na3(Fe,Al)2(SO4)6 from burnt dumps of the Chelyabinsk Coal Basin have been investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis. Steklite is trigonal, space group P3¯, a = 4.7277(3), c = 7.9871(5) Å, V = 154.60(2) Å3. The crystal structure was refined to R1 = 0.026 (wR2 = 0.068). It is based upon the [Al(SO4)2]− layers formed by corner sharing of SO4 tetrahedra and AlO6 polyhedra. The anionic [Al(SO4)2]− layers are parallel to the (001) plane and linked via interlayer K+ ions. The regular octahedral coordination of Al is observed that distinguishes technogenic steklite from that found in Tolbachik fumaroles. The (K,Na)3Na3(Fe,Al)2(SO4)6 phase is trigonal, space group R3¯, a = 13.932(2), c = 17.992(2) Å, V = 3024.4(7) Å3, R1 = 0.073 (wR2 = 0.108). The crystal structure is based upon the anionic chains [(Fe,Al)(SO4)3]3− running parallel to the c axis and interconnected via K+ and Na+ ions. There are no known minerals or synthetic compounds isotypic to (K,Na)3Na3(Fe,Al)2(SO4)6, due to the presence of separate K and Na sites in its structure.

X -ray diffraction becomes a routine process these decades for determining crystal structure of the materials. Most of the crystal structures solved nowadays is based on single crystal X-ray diffraction because it solves the crystal and molecular structures from small molecules to macro molecules without much human intervention. However it is difficult to grow single crystals of sufficient size and quality for conventional single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. In such cases it becomes essential that structural information can be determined from powder diffraction data. With the recent developments in the direct-space approaches for structure solution, ab initio crystal structure analysis of molecular solids can be accomplished from X-ray powder diffraction data. It should be recalled that crystal structure determination from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data is a far more difficult task than that of its single-crystal counterpart, particularly when the molecule possesses considerable flexibility or there are multiple molecules in the asymmetric unit. Salicylic acid and its derivatives used as an anti-inflammatory drug are known for its numerous medicinal applications. In our study, we synthesized mononuclear copper (II) complex of salicylate derivative. The structural characterization of the prepared compound was carried out using powder X-ray diffraction studies. Crystal structure of the compound has been solved by direct-space approach and refined by a combination of Rietveld method using TOPAS Academic V4.1. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations have to be carried in the solid state for the compound using GaussianW9.0 in the frame work of a generalized-gradient approximation (GGA). The geometry optimization was to be performed using B3LYP density functional theory. The atomic coordinates were taken from the final X-ray refinement cycle.

The high-pressure behavior of KIO3 was studied up to 30 GPa using single crystal and powder x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, second harmonic generation (SHG) experiments and density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations. Triclinic KIO3 shows two pressure-induced structural phase transitions at 7 GPa and at 14 GPa. Single crystal x-ray diffraction at 8.7(1) GPa was employed to solve the structure of the first high-pressure phase (space group R3, a = 5.89(1) Å, α = 62.4(1)°). The bulk modulus, B, of this phase was obtained by fitting a second order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state (eos) to synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data resulting in Bexp,second = 67(3) GPa. The DFT model gave BDFT,second = 70.9 GPa, and, for a third order Birch–Murnaghan eos, BDFT,third = 67.9 GPa with a pressure derivative of . Both high-pressure transformations were detectable by Raman spectroscopy and the observation of second harmonic signals. The presence of strong SHG signals shows that all high-pressure phases are acentric. By using different pressure media, we showed that the transition pressures are very strongly influenced by shear stresses. Earlier work on low- and high-temperature transitions was complemented by low-temperature heat capacity measurements. We found no evidence for the presence of an orientational glass, in contrast to earlier dielectric studies, but consistent with earlier low-temperature diffraction studies.

Abstract. Among numerous minerals determined at Nežilovo, Pelagonian Massif, North Macedonia, ardennite-(As) has been discovered in two different associations and studied by means of optical microscopy, electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), and single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction methods. The refractive indices of ardennite-(As) from Nežilovo are α=1.537(2), β=1.579(1) and γ=1.741(1), where γ corresponds to the c direction. The optical axial angle is 2Vx=49(1)∘. EMPA of the investigated samples yields the following empirical formulae: [Mn3.272+Ca0.73]Σ4.00[Al4.18Mg1.24Fe0.29Mn0.193+Zn0.10]Σ6.00(Si4.73Al0.27)Σ5.00(As0.96Si0.03V0.01)Σ1.00O22 [OH5.36(H2O)0.64]Σ6.00 for ardennite-(As) and (K0.95Na0.04Ba0.02)Σ1.01(Al1.44Fe0.303+Mg0.20Mn0.03Ti0.02 Zn0.01)Σ2.00(Si3.21Al0.79O10) (OH1.97O0.03)Σ2.00 for the associated red mica. The unit cell parameters of ardennite-(As) determined by X-ray powder diffraction are a=8.757(2) Å, b=5.836(2) Å, c=18.578(2) Å and V=941.97 Å3. The unit cell parameters of ardennite-(As) were also determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and are a=8.760(1) Å, b=5.838(1) Å, c=18.582(2) Å and V=950.30 Å3. Regularities of isomorphism in ardennite-related minerals are discussed. The presence of ardennite-(As) in association with 2M1 and 3T phengite polytypes provides evidence for three separate stages of formation. Conditions at which ardennite-(As) crystallized have been estimated based on compositional features of associated micas.

Strontioborite, which was first described in 1960 and later discredited by the then named Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA CNMMN), has been re-investigated (electron microprobe, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, crystal structure determination and IR spectroscopy) on two specimens, including the holotype, and revalidated by the IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC). Strontioborite is known only at the Chelkar salt dome (North Caspian Region, Western Kazakhstan), in halite rocks with bischofite, magnesite, anhydrite, halurgite, boracite, ginorite and celestine. It forms colourless lamellar, scaly or tabular crystals up to 2 mm across. The chemical composition (wt.%, H2O is calculated for (OH)4 = 4 H apfu, according to structural data; holotype/neotype) is: CaO 1.42/0.27, SrO 23.10/23.79, B2O3 67.37/67.57, H2O 8.73/8.72, total 100.62/100.37. The empirical formulae [calculated based on 15 O apfu = O11(OH)4 pfu] of the holotype and neotype specimens are Sr0.92Ca0.10B7.98O11(OH)4 and Sr0.95Ca0.02B8.02O11(OH)4, respectively. The idealised formula is Sr[B8O11(OH)4]. Strontioborite is monoclinic, space group P21, a = 7.6192(3), b = 8.1867(2), c = 9.9164(3) Å, β = 108.357(4)°, V = 587.07(3) Å3 and Z = 2. The strongest reflections of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are: 7.22(100)(100), 5.409(61)(110), 4.090(64)(020), 3.300(48)(210), 2.121(30)($\bar{1}$24) and 2.043(37)(040, 024, $\bar{2}$24). The crystal structure, solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.0372), is based upon the (100) layers of polymerised B–O–OH polyanions [B8O11(OH)4]2– and Sr-centred nine-fold polyhedra SrO6(OH)3. The B–O–OH polyanion is the cluster of three tetrahedra and three triangles; these clusters are decorated by the [B2O2(OH)3] pyro-group consisting of two triangles. The layers are linked via vertices of Sr-centred polyhedra, which share seven vertices with B-centred polyhedra of one layer and two vertices with B-centred polyhedra of the adjacent layer, and by the system of H bonds. The crystal chemistry of strontioborite is discussed in comparison with other natural and synthetic borates.

The crystal structure of butane-1,4-diammonium sulphate, C4H14N2 2+ · SO4 2−, exhibits a unique packing arrangement where staggered pairs of butane-1,4-diammonium cations form infinite columns surrounded by sulphate anions. The disordered cation straddles the mirror plane and the asymmetric unit contains one half of the butane-1,4-diammonium cation and one half of the sulphate anion. The bond between C2b and C2a′ is twisted into a gauche conformation as a result of the charge-assisted hydrogen bonding between the doubly charged sulphate anion and the two singly charged ends of the cation chain. An intricate and extensive network of hydrogen bonds is formed within the crystal. Thermal analysis by DSC yielded no evidence of a phase change for the compound. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis yielded very good correlation between the observed and calculated powder pattern obtained from the single crystal data. Crystal data: crystal system, orthorhombic, a = 10.0496 (5) A, b = 9.4186 (4) A, c = 8.8987 (4) A, space group, Pnma, V = 842.29 (7) A3, Z = 4. Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Butane-1,4-diammonium sulphate C. van Blerk and G. J. Kruger Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006, Republic of South Africa The structural characteristics of the title compound, which include the crystal structure by single crystal X-ray diffraction, description of the packing arrangement and intermolecular forces from the crystal structure, thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction studies, are described in this work.

All crystalline materials in nature, whether inorganic, organic, or biological, macroscopic or microscopic, have their own chemical and physical properties, which strongly depend on their atomic structures. Therefore, structure determination is extremely important in chemistry, physics, materials science, etc. In the past centuries, many techniques have been developed for structure determination. The most widely used one is X-ray crystallography (single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD)), and it remains the most important technique for structure determination of crystalline materials. Although SCXRD and PXRD are successful in many cases, a number of reasons limit their applications, such as SCXRD for nanosized crystals, intergrowth, and defects and PXRD for complex structures, multiphasic samples, impurities, peak overlaps, etc. Another most valuable technique for structure determination is electron crystallography (EC). With the electron as a probe, EC alone can also be used for structure determination, especially for crystals that are too small to be studied by SCXRD or too complex for PXRD. As electrons interact much more strongly with matter than X-rays do, both electron diffraction (ED) patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images can be obtained from nanosized crystals. However, collecting a complete set of ED patterns or recording a good HRTEM image requires considerable expertise on the operation of electron microscopes and crystallography. The strong interactions between electrons and materials can also lead to dynamical effects and beam damage. These difficulties make structure determination from ED patterns and HRTEM images not straightforward. Recently, two three-dimensional (3D) electron diffraction techniques, automated electron diffraction tomography (ADT) and rotation electron diffraction (RED), have been developed, which perform the data collection in an automated manner. Although the dynamical effects in the newly developed 3D electron diffraction techniques (ADT, RED) are reduced significantly, for some structures there are still problems with obtaining an initial model because of beam damage. The X-ray diffraction and EC methods discussed above are both powerful techniques but have their own limitations. In many complicated cases, one technique alone is not enough to solve the crystal structure, and different techniques that supply complementary structural information have to support each other for the complete structure determination. In this Account, we provide a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of X-ray diffraction (PXRD and SCXRD) and EC (HRTEM and ED) for structure determination and include a review of applications of X-ray diffraction and EC for solving complex structure problems such as peak overlap, impurities, pseudosymmetry and twinning, disordered frameworks, locating guests, aperiodic structures, etc. Some of the latest advances in structure determination are also presented briefly, namely, revealing hydrogen positions by ED, protein crystal structure solution by 3D electron diffraction, and structure determination using an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL).

The compounds RECuGa3 (RE = La-Nd, Sm-Gd) were synthesized by various techniques. Preliminary X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses at room temperature suggested that the compounds crystallize in the tetragonal system with either the centrosymmetric space group I4/mmm (BaAl4 type) or the non-centrosymmetric space group I4mm (BaNiSn3 type). Detailed single-crystal XRD, neutron diffraction, and synchrotron XRD studies of selected compounds confirmed the non-centrosymmetric BaNiSn3 structure type at room temperature with space group I4mm. Temperature-dependent single-crystal XRD, powder XRD, and synchrotron beamline measurements showed a structural transition between centro- and non-centrosymmetry followed by a phase transition to the Rb5Hg19 type (space group I4/m) above 400 K and another transition to the Cu3Au structure type (space group Pm3̅m) above 700 K. Combined single-crystal and synchrotron powder XRD studies of PrCuGa3 at high temperatures revealed structural transitions at higher temperatures, highlighting the closeness of the BaNiSn3 structure to other structure types not known to the RECuGa3 family. The crystal structure of RECuGa3 is composed of eight capped hexagonal prism cages [RE4Cu4Ga12] occupying one rare-earth atom in each ring, which are shared through the edge of Cu and Ga atoms along the ab plane, resulting in a three-dimensional network. Resistivity and magnetization measurements demonstrated that all of these compounds undergo magnetic ordering at temperatures between 1.8 and 80 K, apart from the Pr and La compounds: the former remains paramagnetic down to 0.3 K, while superconductivity was observed in the La compound at T = 1 K. It is not clear whether this is intrinsic or due to filamentary Ga present in the sample. The divalent nature of Eu in EuCuGa3 was confirmed by magnetization measurements and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy and is further supported by the crystal structure analysis.

High quality kutnohorite CaMn(CO3)2 single crystals up to 100 μm in size were successfully achieved under high pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions. Electron microprobe analyses revealed the average wt% of CaO was 25.98% and that of MnO was 32.88%, correspondingly well to the ideal formula of Ca1.0Mn1.0(CO3)2. Accurate crystalline structural data were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), with the R3 space group and R3c space group used to refine the crystal structure of CaMn(CO3)2. The Ca-O and Mn-O bond lengths were slightly different when using the R3 space group, which were clearly distinguished from those in the dolomite structure. Therefore, R3c is the most probable space group for the CaMn(CO3)2 crystal structure. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that CaMn(CO3)2 decomposed from 620–750 °C, but only one endothermic peak was observed during the decomposition process. It indicated that the octahedral units in CaMn(CO3)2 have the same thermal stability due to the complete miscibility of Ca and Mn. The results of single crystal XRD and thermal analysis provided direct evidence that CaMn(CO3)2 has a calcitetype structure, not dolomite-type layered structure, which was in good agreement with the rigid model of rhombohedral carbonates.

Bluebellite, Cu6[I5+O3(OH)3](OH)7Cl and mojaveite, Cu6[Te6+O4(OH)2](OH)7Cl, are new secondary copper minerals from the Mojave Desert. The type locality for bluebellite is the D shaft, Blue Bell claims, near Baker, San Bernardino County, California, while cotype localities for mojaveite are the E pit at Blue Bell claims and also the Bird Nest drift, Otto Mountain, also near Baker. The two minerals are very similar in their properties. Bluebellite is associated particularly with murdochite, but also with calcite, fluorite, hemimorphite and rarely dioptase in a highly siliceous hornfels. It forms bright bluishgreen plates or flakes up to ~20 mm 620 mm 65 mm in size that are usually curved. The streak is pale bluish green and the lustre is adamantine, but often appears dull because of surface roughness. It is non-fluorescent. Bluebellite is very soft (Mohs hardness ~1), sectile, has perfect cleavage on {001} and an irregular fracture. The calculated density based on the empirical formula is 4.746 g cm–3. Bluebellite is uniaxial (–), with mean refractive index estimated as 1.96 from the Gladstone-Dale relationship. It is pleochroic O (bluish green) >> E (nearly colourless). Electron microprobe analyses gave the empirical formula Cu5.82I0.99Al0.02Si0.12O3.11(OH)9.80Cl1.09 based on 14 (O+Cl) a.p.f.u. The Raman spectrum shows strong iodate-related bands at 680, 611 and 254 cm–1. Bluebellite is trigonal, space group R3, with the unit-cell parameters: a = 8.3017(5), c = 13.259(1) Å , V = 791.4(1) Å 3 and Z = 3. The eight strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern are [dobs/Å (I) (hkl)]: 4.427(99)(003), 2.664(35)(211), 2.516(100)(21), 2.213(9)(006), 2.103(29)(033,214), 1.899(47)(312,21), 1.566(48)(140,217) and 1.479(29)(045,14,324).Mojaveite occurs at the Blue Bell claims in direct association with cerussite, chlorargyrite, chrysocolla, hemimorphite, kettnerite, perite, quartz and wulfenite, while at the Bird Nest drift, it is associated with andradite, chrysocolla, cerussite, burckhardtite, galena, goethite, khinite, mcalpineite, thorneite, timroseite, paratimroseite, quartz and wulfenite. It has also been found at the Aga mine, Otto Mountain, with cerussite, chrysocolla, khinite, perite and quartz. Mojaveite occurs as irregular aggregates of greenish-blue plates flattened on {001} and often curved, which rarely show a hexagonal outline, and also occurs as compact balls, from sky blue to medium greenish blue in colour. Aggregates and balls are up to 0.5 mm in size. The streak of mojaveite is pale greenish blue, while the lustre may be adamantine, pearly or dull, and it is non-fluorescent. The Mohs hardness is ~1. It is sectile, with perfect cleavage on {001} and an irregular fracture. The calculated density is 4.886 g cm–3, based on the empirical formulae and unit-cell dimensions. Mojaveite is uniaxial (–), with mean refractive index estimated as 1.95 from the Gladstone-Dale relationship. It is pleochroic O (greenish blue) >> E (light greenish blue). The empirical formula for mojaveite, based on 14 (O+Cl) a.p.f.u., is Cu5.92Te1.00Pb0.08Bi0.01O4(OH)8.94Cl1.06. The most intense Raman bands occur at 694, 654 (poorly resolved), 624, 611 and 254 cm–1. Mojaveite is trigonal, space group R3, with the unit-cell parameters: a = 8.316(2), c = 13.202(6) Å and V = 790.7(1) Å 3. The eight strongest lines in the powder XRD pattern are [dobs/Å (I) (hkl)]: 4.403(91)(003), 2.672(28)(211), 2.512(100)(21), 2.110(27)(033,214), 1.889(34)(312,21,22), 1.570(39)(404,140,217), 1.481(34)(045,14,324) and 1.338(14)(422). Diffraction data could not be refined, but stoichiometries and unit-cell parameters imply that bluebellite and mojaveite are very similar in crystal structure. Structure models that satisfy bondvalence requirements are presented that are based on stackings of brucite-like Cu6MX14 layers, where M = (I or Te) and X = (O, OH and Cl). Bluebellite and mojaveite provide a rare instance of isotypy between an iodate containing I5+ with a stereoactive lone electron pair and a tellurate containing Te6+ with no lone pair.

Order–disorder phase transition in the antiperovskite-type structure of synthetic kogarkoite, Na3SO4F

The mineral ‘oboyerite’, first described in 1979 from the Grand Central mine, Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona, USA, has been re-examined. The type specimen from the Natural History Museum, London and a specimen from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (traceable to S. A Williams, who first described ‘oboyerite’) were analysed in this study. The discreditation of ‘oboyerite’ as a valid mineral species has been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (Proposal 19-D). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, electron probe microanalysis and scanning electron microscopy were all employed to show that ‘oboyerite’ is formed of at least two distinct phases, including the lead–tellurium oxysalt minerals ottoite and plumbotellurite. During the course of the discreditation, plumbotellurite was confirmed to be identical to the synthetic compound α-Pb2+Te4+O3. Previously, in some mineralogical literature plumbotellurite was described as orthorhombic with no known crystal structure.