AbstractThe phosphide oxide La2AuP2O was synthesized from lanthanum filings, dried La2O3, gold pieces, and ground red phosphorus in the ideal 1.33:0.33:1:2 ratio in an evacuated silica tube at 1473 K. Small single crystals were obtained by recrystallization in a NaCl/KCl flux. The structure was determined on the basis of single‐crystal X‐ray diffractometer data: new type, C2/m, a = 1537.3(3), b = 427.39(8), c = 1009.2(2) pm, β = 131.02(1) °, wR2 = 0.046, 1102 F2 values, 38 variables. La2AuP2O contains two striking structural motifs: The oxygen atoms are located in La4 tetrahedra. The latter are cis‐edge‐shared forming polymeric cationic [La2O]4+ chains. These cationic units are separated and charge‐balanced by [AuP2]4– polyanions which have monovalent gold in distorted trigonal planar phosphorus coordination. Two crystallographically independent phosphorus sites occur in the polyanion, i.e. isolated P3– besides dumb‐bells P24– (P2–P2 223 pm). La2AuP2O, which crystallizes in the form of ruby red transparent crystals, is an electron precise phosphide oxide (4La3+)(2Au+)(2P3–)(P24–)(2O2–).
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