Syntheses, crystal structures, and characterization of two new Tl+–Cu2+–Te6+ oxides: Tl4CuTeO6 and Tl6CuTe2O10

Crystals and polycrystalline powders of two new oxide materials, Tl4CuTeO6 and Tl6CuTe2O10, have been synthesized by hydrothermal and solid-state methods. The materials were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Tl4CuTeO6 and Tl6CuTe2O10 exhibit one dimensional anionic slabs of [CuTeO6]4− and [CuTe2O10]6−, respectively. Common to both slabs is the occurrence of Cu2+O4 distorted squares and Te6+O6 octahedra. The slabs are separated by Tl+ cations. For Tl4CuTeO6, magnetic measurements indicate a maximum at ∼8 K in the temperature dependence of the susceptibility. Low temperature neutron diffraction data confirm no long-range magnetic ordering occurs and the susceptibility was adequately accounted for by fits to a Heisenberg alternating chain model. For Tl6CuTe2O10 on the other hand, magnetic measurements revealed paramagnetism with no evidence of long-range magnetic ordering. Infrared, UV–vis spectra, thermogravimetric, and differential thermal analyses are also reported. Crystal data: Tl4CuTeO6, Triclinic, space group P-1 (No. 2), a=5.8629(8) Å, b=8.7848(11) Å, c=9.2572(12) Å, α=66.0460(10), β=74.2010(10), γ=79.254(2), V=417.70(9) Å3, and Z=2; Tl6CuTe2O10, orthorhombic, space group Pnma (No. 62), a=10.8628(6) Å, b=11.4962(7) Å, c=10.7238(6) Å, V=1339.20(13) Å3, and Z=4.