Niobium octahedral

Since niobates and tantalates belong to the octahedral ferroelectric family, fluorine-oxygen substitution has a particular importance in managing ferroelectric properties. Thus, the variation in the Curie temperature of such compounds with the fluorine-oxygen substitution rate depends strongly on the crystalline network, the ferroelectric type and the mutual orientation of the spontaneous polarization vector, metal displacement direction and covalent bond orientation [47]. Hence, complex tantalum and niobium fluoride compounds seem to have potential also as new materials for modem electronic and optical applications. 

The ratio between the anionic and cationic radii leads to coordination numbers, the lowest of which is 6, which correspond to a octahedral polyhedron of anions around a central cation [135]. In this case, the compound structure type depends on the ratio of total number of anions and cations. The total number of anions (X) is calculated by summing up the number of oxygen (O) ions and of fluorine (F) ions X=0+F, while the total number of cations (Me) is the number of tantalum ions, niobium ions and other similar cations. 

The niobium atom has a slightly distorted octahedral coordination. Interatomic distances between the niobium atom and the two oxygen atoms in trans positions, O-Nb-O are 1.81 and 2.14 A. The niobium atom is shifted from the base plane of the octahedron by 0.23 A, and this shift, in adjacent chains, is in opposite directions. Pakhomov and Kaidalova [204] concluded that the shorter Nb-O bond (1.81 A) is an intermediate between a single and double bond. 

The lowest coordination number of tantalum or niobium permitted by crystal chemistry formalism is 6, which corresponds to an octahedral configuration. X Me ratios that equal 3, 2 or 1 can, therefore, be obtained by corresponding substitutions in the cationic sub-lattice. A condition for such substitution is no doubt steric similarity between the second cation and the tantalum or niobium ion so as to enable its replacement in the octahedral polyhedron. In such cases, the structure of the compound consists of oxyfluoride octahedrons that are linked by their vertexes, sides or faces, according to the compound type, MeX3, MeX2 or MeX respectively. Table 37 lists compounds that have a coordination-type structure [259-261]. 

The type of crystal structure depends on the ratio X Me, where X is the total number of anions (oxygen and fluorine) and Me is the total number of all cations that can fit into/occupy octahedral voids (tantalum, niobium, lithium and other metals with similar ionic radii). 

X Me Second cation present, with coordination number greater than 6 (second cation s ionic radius > tantalum/niobium ionic radius) Only cations that can fit into/occupy octahedral voids are present (second cation s ionic radius tantalum/niobium ionic radius)... 

S Tantalum and niobium are present in the crystal structure in the form of complex ions. The lowest coordination number, 6, corresponds to the formation of slightly distorted octahedrons. The linking and packaging of the octahedrons depends on the X Me ratio, where X is the total number of oxygen and fluorine atoms, and Me is the total number of tantalum or niobium ions as well as other metals that can replace tantalum or niobium in the octahedral polyhedron. The crystal structure type can be defined based on the X Me ratio, as follows ... 

The structural features of most niobium oxychlorides known to-date are summarized in Table 6.1. The use of a combination of chloride and oxide hgands leads to compounds with unique structure types [41], characterized by a remarkable variety of cluster frameworks, ranging from discrete cluster units to chains, layers, and three-dimensional nets, some topologies of which are unprecedented in compounds containing octahedral clusters. Most of the niobium oxychlorides known to date have anisotropic structures (the exceptions are Cs2LuNb,5Cli70 and PbLusNbsClisOg). 

Fig. 1.3 Elements forming layered sulfides or selenides with the metal in octahedral or trigonal prismatic coordination (niobium and tantalum are found in both). (Adapted from [35])...

The octahedral metal clusters that have long been familiar features of the lower halide chemistry of niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, and tungsten represent a category of cluster different from those so far considered in that their metal-metal bonding is best treated as involving four AO s on each metal 49, 133,144,165,178). 

In [NbCl5(HCN)],139 the niobium atom is octahedrally surrounded by five chlorines and b the nitrogen atom of HCN the Nb—Cl bond irons to nitrogen is the shortest (2.243(1) a... 

A), and bear two chlorine atoms in apical and two acetonitrile ligands in equatorial positions. The octahedral environment of the metal is distorted as a result of niobium-niobium interactions (2.862(2)-2.872(3) A). 

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