Structure determination of a low temperature phase of calcium and strontium amide by means of neutron powder diffraction on Ca(ND2)2 and Sr(ND2)2

J. Senker, H. Jacobs, M. Müller, W. Press, H. M. Mayer, R. M. Ibberson

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Abstract

Calcium and Strontium amide are ionic compounds crystallising in a tetragonally distorted anatase structure-type at ambient temperatures. The amide ions (NH27 ND2-) resemble water molecules in structure and in charge distribution. By means of temperature dependent neutron diffraction investigations weak super-structure reflections were observed at temperatures below 90 K (Ca(ND2)2) and 60 K (Sr(ND2)2), respectively, indicating the existence of a so far unknown low-temperature (LT) phase. Using high resolution neutron powder diffraction at temperatures below 10 K the structure was determined for both compounds. The LT-phases are isotypic and crystallise monoclinic in the space group P21/c with four formula units within the unit cell: Ca(ND2)2 at 10 K a = 7.257(2) Å, b = 7.2434(2) Å, c = 6.300(1) Å, β = 124.73(1)o Sr(ND2)2 at 5 K a = 7.6950(1) Å, b = 7.68374(9) Å, c = 6.6324(3) Å, β = 124.917(2)o. Their structure is closely related to the tetragonal HT-phase, but an ordering of the amide ions occurs due to freezing of a lattice mode which is dominated by the librational motion of the amide ions in the {1 0 0} planes of the HT-phase.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2025-2032
Number of pages8
JournalZeitschrift fur Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie
Volume625
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

Keywords

  • Alkaline earth metal amides
  • Antiferro distortive ordering
  • Calcium amide
  • Neutron diffraction
  • Strontium amide
  • Structure of low temperature modification

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