Synthesen, Kristallstrukturen und Drillingsbildung der Cluster-Trimere Bi₂[PtBi₆Br₁₂]₃ und Bi₂[PtBi₆I₁₂]₃^†

Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Triple Twinning of the Cluster Trimers Bi₂[PtBi₆Br₁₂]₃ and Bi₂[PtBi₆I₁₂]₃

Melting reactions of Bi with Pt and BiX₃ (X = Br, I) yield shiny black, air insensitive crystals of the subhalides Bi₂[PtBi₆X₁₂]. Bi₂[PtBi₆Br₁₂]₃ crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m with lattice parameters a = 1617.6(2) pm, b = 1488.5(1) pm, c = 1752.4(2) pm, and β = 110.85(4)°. Bi₂[PtBi₆I₁₂]₃ adopts the triclinic space group with pseudo-monoclinic lattice parameters a = 1711.2(2) pm, b = 1585.1(1) pm, c = 1865.7(2) pm, and α = 90°, β = 111.15(4)°, γ = 90°. The two homoeotypic compounds consist of cuboctahedral [Pt^−IIBi^II₆X^−I₁₂]²⁻ clusters that are concatenated into linear trimers by Bi^III atoms. The ordered distribution of Bi^III atoms destroys the inherent threefold rotation axes in the packing of cluster anions. As a consequence of the pseudosymmetry the crystals are triple twinned along [201]. Due to different orientations of the cluster trimers there are two Bi^II···X inter-cluster bridges per Bi^II atom in Bi₂[PtBi₆Br₁₂]₃ but only one bridge in Bi₂[PtBi₆I₁₂]₃. The structure of the iodine compound can be deduced from the NaCl structure type, leaving 37 of 96 atomic positions unoccupied. The arrangement of the cuboctahedral clusters follows the motif of a body-centered cubic packing.