La3Ru8B6 and Y3Os8B6, new members of a homologous series R(A)nM3n−1B2n

Two new compounds, La3Ru8B6 and Y3Os8B6, were synthesized by arc melting the elements. Their structural characterization was carried out at room temperature on as-cast samples by using X-ray diffractometry. According to X-ray single-crystal diffraction results these borides crystallize in Fmmm space group (no. 69), Z=4, a=5.5607(1) Å, b=9.8035(3) Å, c=17.5524(4) Å, ρ=8.956 Mg/m3, μ=25.23 mm−1 for La3Ru8B6 and a=5.4792(2) Å, b=9.5139(4) Å, c=17.6972(8) Å, ρ=13.343 Mg/m3, μ=128.23 mm−1 for Y3Os8B6. The crystal structure of La3Ru8B6 was confirmed from Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data. Both La3Ru8B6 and Y3Os8B6 compounds are isotypic with the Ca3Rh8B6 compound and their structures are built up from CeCo3B2-type and CeAl2Ga2-type structural fragments taken in ratio 2:1. They are the members of structural series R(A)nM3n−1B2n with n=3 (R is the rare earth metal, A the alkaline earth metal, and M the transition metal). Structural and atomic parameters were also obtained for La0.94Ru3B2 compound from Rietveld refinement (CeCo3B2-type structure, P6/mmm space group (no. 191), a=5.5835(9) Å, c=3.0278(6) Å).