Crystal structure of Cu₃(AsO₄)₂

Abstract

Cu 3 (AsO 4 ) 2 forms a monoclinic crystal with lattice parameters a = 6.327(5) Å, b = 8.642(5) Å, c = 11.313(5) Å, β = 92.04(4)°, and Z = 4. The space group is P2 1 /c. The two orthoarsenate anions in the unit cell have average AsO bond lengths of 1.68 Å and 1.70 Å with mean deviations of 0.02 Å and 0.01 Å respectively. The three cations are fivefold coordinated to oxygen atoms with mean cation oxygen atom bond lengths of 2.005 Å, 2.053 Å, and 2.017 Å for the three independent cations. The range of bond distances extends from 1.892 Å to 2.362 Å. Only one additional cation oxygen distance of less than 3 Å occurs and this lies at 2.76 Å. The cation polyhedra form sheets parallel to the ab plane by corner and edge sharing of common oxygen atoms. Adjacent sheets are bonded through the long Cu—O bond distance cited above and by the AsO 4 3− anions. Each of the arsenic atoms shares three oxygen atoms with one sheet and one with the adjacent one.