Abstract
The intermetallic phases Sr2Pt2Mg and Eu2Pt2Mg were obtained by reaction of the elements in sealed tantalum tubes at high temperature. Sr2Pt2Mg crystallizes with the monoclinic Ca2Ir2Si type (C2/c, a = 1020.7(7), b = 597.7(4), c = 827.0(4) pm, β = 103.37(5)°), while Eu2Pt2Mg adopts the orthorhombic W2CoB2-type structure (Immm, a = 440.31(5), b = 582.20(6), c = 914.11(9) pm, wR = 0.0359, 277 F
2 values, 14 variables). The magnesium atoms in both structures are coordinated by four Pt2 dumb-bells with a rectangular planar coordination in Eu2Pt2Mg (268 pm Pt–Mg) and a distorted tetrahedral one in Sr2Pt2Mg (273–275 pm Pt–Mg). The Pt–Pt distances are 277 pm in the europium and 269 pm in the strontium compound. The polyanionic [Pt2Mg] units are planar in Eu2Pt2Mg and separated by the europium atoms. The Sr2Pt2Mg structure shows the motif of hexagonal rod packing for the [Pt2Mg] rows that are embedded in a strontium matrix. Chemical bonding and the influence of the valence electron count on the formation of the structure types are discussed.