The ternary platinides CaGa5Pt3 and EuGa5Pt3

Abstract

Abstract The ternary platinides CaGa5Pt3 (a = 2082.5(4), b = 406.05(8), c = 739.2(1) pm) and EuGa5Pt3 (a = 2085.5(5), b = 412.75(9), c = 738.7(1) pm) were synthesized from the elements in sealed high-melting metal tubes in an induction furnace. CaGa5Pt3 and EuGa5Pt3 are isotypic with CeAl5Pt3 and isopointal with the YNi5Si3 type intermetallic phases (space group Pnma, oP36 and Wyckoff sequence c 9). The structure of EuGa5Pt3 was refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: wR2 = 0.0443, 1063 F 2 values and 56 variables. The gallium and platinum atoms build up a three-dimensional [Ga5Pt3]2− polyanionic network in which the europium atoms fill slightly distorted hexagonal prismatic voids. The Ga–Pt distances within the network range from 249 to 271 pm, emphasizing the covalent bonding character. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate diamagnetism for CaGa5Pt3 and isotypic BaGa5Pt3. EuGa5Pt3 behaves like a Curie–Weiss paramagnet above 50 K with an experimental magnetic moment of 8.17(1) µB/Eu atom, indicating divalent europium. Antiferromagnetic ordering sets in at T N = 8.5(1) K. The divalent ground state of europium is confirmed by 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy. EuGa5Pt3 shows a single signal at 78 K with an isomer shift of −9.89(4) mm s−1. Full magnetic hyperfine splitting with a hyperfine field of 25.0(2) T is observed at 6 K in the magnetically ordered regime.