Published bond-valence parameters for cation–oxygen bonds are evaluated with regard to their agreement with the valence-sum rule, and new bond-valence parameters are derived for 135 cations bonded to oxygen.

No abstract

Bond-length distributions have been examined for 55 configurations of alkali-metal ions and 29 configurations of alkaline-earth-metal ions, for 4859 coordination polyhedra and 38 594 bond distances (alkali metals), and for 3038 coordination polyhedra and 24 487 bond distances (alkaline-earth metals).

Bond-length distributions are examined for 63 transition-metal ions bonded to O2- in 147 configurations, for 7522 coordination polyhedra and 41,488 bond distances, providing baseline statistical knowledge of bond lengths for transi-tion metals bonded to O2-. A priori bond valences are calculated for 140 crystal structures containing 266 coordination poly-hedra for 85 transition-metal ion configurations with anomalous bond-length distributions. Two new indices, Δ𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑙 and Δ𝑐𝑟𝑦𝑠𝑡, are proposed to quantify bond-length variation arising from bond-topological and crystallographic effects in extended solids. Bond-topological mechanisms of bond-length variation are [1] non-local bond-topological asymmetry, and [2] multi-ple-bond formation; crystallographic mechanisms are [3] electronic effects (with inherent focus on coupled electronic-vibra-tional degeneracy in this work), and [4] crystal-structure effects. The Δ𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑙 and Δ𝑐𝑟𝑦𝑠𝑡 indices allow one to determine the primary cause(s) of bond-length variation for individual coordination polyhedra and ion configurations, quantify the dis-torting power of cations via electronic effects (by subtracting the bond-topological contribution to bond-length variation), set expectation limits regarding the extent to which functional properties linked to bond-length variations may be optimized in a given crystal structure (and inform how optimization may be achieved), and more. We find the observation of multiple bonds to be primarily driven by the bond-topological requirements of crystal structures in solids. However, we sometimes observe multiple bonds to form as a result of electronic effects (e.g. the pseudo Jahn-Teller effect); resolution of the origins of multiple-bond formation follows calculation of the Δ𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑙 and Δ𝑐𝑟𝑦𝑠𝑡 indices on a structure-by-structure basis. Non-local bond-topological asymmetry is the most common cause of bond-length variation in transition-metal oxides and oxysalts, followed closely by the pseudo Jahn-Teller effect (PJTE). Non-local bond-topological asymmetry is further suggested to be the most widespread cause of bond-length variation in the solid state, with no a priori limitations with regard to ion identity. Overall, bond-length variations resulting from the PJTE are slightly larger than those resulting from non-local bond-topological asym-metry, comparable to those resulting from the strong JTE, and less than those induced by π-bond formation. From a compar-ison of a priori and observed bond valences for ~150 coordination polyhedra in which the strong JTE or the PJTE is the main reason underlying bond-length variation, the Jahn-Teller effect is found not to have a symbiotic relation with the bond-topo-logical requirements of crystal structures. The magnitude of bond-length variations caused by the PJTE decreases in the fol-lowing order for octahedrally coordinated d0 transition metals oxyanions: Os8+ > Mo6+ > W6+ >> V5+ > Nb5+ > Ti4+ > Ta5+ > Hf4+ > Zr4+ > Re7+ >> Y3+ > Sc3+. Such ranking varies by coordination number; for [4], it is Re7+ > Ti4+ > V5+ > W6+ > Mo6+ > Cr6+ > Os8+ >> Mn7+; for [5], it is Os8+ > Re7+ > Mo6+ > Ti4+ > W6+ > V5+ > Nb5+. We conclude that non-octahedral coordinations of d0 ion configurations are likely to occur with bond-length variations that are similar in magnitude to their octahedral counterparts. However, smaller bond-length variations are expected from the PJTE for non-d0 transition-metal oxyanions.<br>

Variations in mean bond length are examined in oxide and oxysalt crystals for 55 cation configurations bonded to O 2À . Stepwise multiple regression analysis shows that mean bond length is correlated to bond-length distortion in 42 ion configurations at the 95% confidence level, with a mean coefficient of determination (hR 2 i) of 0.35. Previously published correlations between mean bond length and mean coordination number of the bonded anions are found not to be of general applicability to inorganic oxide and oxysalt structures. For two of 11 ions tested for the 95% confidence level, mean bond lengths predicted using a fixed radius for O 2À are significantly more accurate as those predicted using an O 2À radius dependent on coordination number, and are statistically identical otherwise. As a result, the currently accepted ionic radii for O 2À in different coordinations are not justified by experimental data. Previously reported correlation between mean bond length and the mean electronegativity of the cations bonded to the oxygen atoms of the coordination polyhedron is shown to be statistically insignificant; similar results are obtained with regard to ionization energy. It is shown that a priori bond lengths calculated for many ion configurations in a single structure-type leads to a high correlation between a priori and observed mean bond lengths, but a priori bond lengths calculated for a single ion configuration in many different structure-types leads to negligible correlation between a priori and observed mean bond lengths. This indicates that structure type has a major effect on mean bond length, the magnitude of which goes beyond that of the other variables analyzed here.