Ternary aurides RE 4Mg3Au10 (RE = La, Ce, Pr) and RE 4Cd3Au10 (RE = Y, La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Dy) – ordering variants of the Zr7Ni10 type

Abstract The intermetallic gold compounds RE 4Mg3Au10 (RE = La, Ce, Pr) and RE 4Cd3Au10 (RE = Y, La–Nd, Sm, Gd–Dy) were obtained from the elements through high-frequency melting in sealed niobium tubes and subsequent annealing in a muffle furnace. The new aurides crystallize with the Ca4In3Au10-type structure. They were characterized through Guinier powder patterns. The structures of Pr4.46Cd2.54Au10 and Tb4.38Cd2.62Au10 were refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: Cmce, a = 1396.73(6), b = 1009.38(3), c = 1019.51(3) pm, wR2 = 0.0423, 1281 F 2 values, 47 variables for Pr4.46Cd2.54Au10 and a = 1362.68(3), b = 995.52(4), c = 1003.79(3) pm, wR2 = 0.0381, 1594 F 2 values, F 2 47 variables for Tb4.38Cd2.62Au10. The 8e sites of both crystals show substantial Cd/Pr respectively Cd/Tb mixing, indicating small homogeneity ranges for all RE 4+x Mg3–x Au10 and RE 4+x Cd3–x Au10 aurides. The gold atoms in these aurides form a pronounced two-dimensional substructure (275–327 pm Au–Au in Pr4.46Cd2.54Au10) which encages the Mg1/Cd1 (coordination number 8) and RE2 (coordination number 11) atoms. These blocks are separated by the Mg2/Cd2 and RE1 atoms with an intergrowth of Mg2/Cd2@Au8 and RE1@Au10 polyhedra. Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements of Tb4Cd3Au10 have shown antiferromagnetic ordering at a Néel temperature of 12(1) K.