Crystal structure of SrCo₄(OH)(PO₄)₃, a new hydroxyphosphate

Abstract

<jats:p>Single crystals of strontium tetracobalt tris(orthophosphate) hydroxide, SrCo<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>(OH)(PO<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>)<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>, were grown serendipitously under hydrothermal conditions at 473 K. The crystal structure consists of undulating chains of edge-sharing [CoO<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>] octahedra that are linked into (010) layers by common vertices between chains. Adjacent layers are linked along [010] into a framework structure by tetrahedral [CoO<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>] units and by PO<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> tetrahedra. The framework delimits channels extending along [100] in which the eleven-coordinate strontium cations are situated. Bifurcated O—H...O hydrogen bonds of weak strengths consolidate the crystal packing. The title compound was also characterized by infrared spectroscopy.</jats:p>