New perovskite-based manganite Pb2Mn2O5

A new perovskite based compound Pb2Mn2O5 has been synthesized using a high pressure high temperature technique. The structure model of Pb2Mn2O5 is proposed based on electron diffraction, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The compound crystallizes in an orthorhombic unit cell with parameters a=5.736(1) Å≈√2ap, b=3.800(1) Å≈ap, c=21.562(6) Å≈4√2ap (ap—the parameter of the perovskite subcell) and space group Pnma. The Pb2Mn2O5 structure consists of quasi two-dimensional perovskite blocks separated by 1/2[110]p(1̄01)p crystallographic shear planes. The blocks are connected to each other by chains of edge-sharing MnO5 distorted tetragonal pyramids. The chains of MnO5 pyramids and the MnO6 octahedra of the perovskite blocks delimit six-sided tunnels accommodating double chains of Pb atoms. The tunnels and pyramidal chains adopt two mirror-related configurations (“left” L and “right” R) and layers consisting of chains and tunnels of the same configuration alternate in the structure according to an -L–R–L–R-sequence. The sequence is sometimes locally violated by the appearance of -L–L- or -R–R-fragments. A scheme is proposed with a Jahn–Teller distortion of the MnO6 octahedra with two long and two short bonds lying in the a–c plane, along two perpendicular orientations within this plane, forming a d-type pattern.