A new series of germanates CaRE 2 Ge 3 O 10 (RE = Y, La-Yb) has been prepared using an EDTA-assisted route.Rietveld refinement of room temperature powder X-ray diffraction patterns shows that these compounds crystallize in the monoclinic system (S.G. P2 1 /c, Z = 4) and have two morphotropic transitions. The calcium and rare earth atoms are distributed among three nonequivalent sites and form layers along the [0 0 1] direction connected into the framework through ijGe 3 O 10 ]. The morphotropic transitions are accompanied by changes in the site occupancy factors of metal cations and by variation in the first and second coordination spheres of Ca 2+ /RE 3+ .
CrystEngComm
This journal isRussia † Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Details of Rietveld refinement of room temperature powder X-ray diffraction patterns (Fig. S1-S12), atomic coordinates, isotropic thermal parameters and Ca 2+ -RE 3+ fractions in the structures of CaRE 2 Ge 3 O 10 ; RE = Y, La-Yb (Tables S1-S4). See