Syntheses, crystal structures and characterizations of two new bismuth(III) arsenites

Two new bismuth arsenites with two different structural types, namely, Bi2O(AsO3)Cl (1), Bi8O6(AsO3)2(AsO4)2 (2), have been synthesized by the solid-state reactions. Compound 1 exhibits novel 2D bismuth arsenite layers with Bi4O4 rings capped by oxide anions, which are further interconnected by Bi–Cl–Bi bridges into a 3D network. Compound 2 contains both arsenite and arsenate anions, its 3D structures are based on 1D bismuth arsenite and 1D bismuth arsenate chains both along b-axis, which are interconnected by oxide anions via Bi–O–Bi bridges, forming 1D tunnels of Bi4As4 8-membered rings (MRs) along b-axis, the lone pairs of the arsenite groups are orientated toward the centers of the above tunnels. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that both compounds display high thermal stability. Optical property measurements revealed that they are wide band-gap semiconductors. Both compounds display broad green-light emission bands centered at 506 nm under excitation at 380 and 388 nm.