The extended chain compounds Ln12(C2)3I17 (Ln=Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy): Synthesis, structure and physical properties

The title compounds are obtained in high yield from stoichiometric mixtures of Ln, LnI3 and graphite, heated at 900–950 °C in welded Ta containers. The crystal structures of new Pr and Nd phases determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction are related to those of other Ln12(C2)3I17-type compounds (C 2/c, a=19.610(1) and 19.574(4) Å, b=12.406(2) and 12.393(3) Å, c=19.062(5) and 19.003(5) Å, β=90.45(3)° and 90.41(3)°, for Pr12(C2)3I17 and Nd12(C2)3I17, respectively). All compounds contain infinite zigzag chains of C2-centered metal atom octahedra condensed by edge-sharing into the [tcc]∞ sequence (c=cis, t=trans) and surrounded by edge-bridging iodine atoms as well as by apical iodine atoms that bridge between chains. The polycrystalline Gd12(C2)3I17 sample exhibits semiconducting thermal behavior which is consistent with an ionic formulation (Ln3+)12(C26–)3(I−)17(e−) under the assumption that one extra electron is localized in metal–metal bonding. The magnetization measurements on Nd12(C2)3I17, Gd12(C2)3I17 and Dy12(C2)3I17 indicate the coexistence of competing magnetic interactions leading to spin freezing at Tf=5 K for the Gd phase. The Nd and Dy compounds order antiferromagnetically at TN=25 and 29 K, respectively. For Dy12(C2)3I17, a metamagnetic transition is observed at a critical magnetic field H≈25 kOe.