Crystal structure of pyridinium tetrachloroantimonate(III)

Abstract

Pyridinium tetrachloroantimonate(III)[C₅H₅NH][Sb^IIICl₄] has been prepared, and its crystal structure has been determined by X-ray analysis. The crystals were monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a= 12·92, b= 12·83, c= 7·48 Å, β= 122·4°, and Z= 4. The structure was solved by Patterson and Fourier techniques and was refined by full-matrix least-squares methods to a final R of 0·038.

Each antimony atom is on a crystallographic two-fold axis, and the [SbCl₄]^– anions are segments of an inflinite chain through the crystal. Three different antimony–chlorine distances were found: 2·38, 2·63, and 3·13 Å the last two from the chlorine bridges connecting the anion union units. Each antimony atom has a distorted octahedral environment; all the Cl–Sb–Cl angles are close to 90°.