The crystal structure of recently discovered chromium (III) dimagnesium trivanadate (V) Mg2CrV3O11 was refined using the Rietveld method. The crystal system of Mg2CrV3O11 is triclinic with space group P1− (Mg1.7Zn0.3GaV3O11 type) and lattice parameters a=6.4057(1) Å, b=6.8111(1) Å, c=10.0640(2) Å, α=97.523(1)°, β=103.351(1)°, γ=101.750(1)°, and Z=2. The characteristic feature of compounds in the A2BV3O11 (A=Mg, Zn and B=Ga, Fe, Cr) family is a strong tendency to share the octahedral M(1) and M(2) sites by both divalent A and trivalent B atoms, and the bipyramidal M(3) sites occupied by divalent A ions. In the present refinement, the only constraint assuming full occupancy of the M(1), M(2), and M(3) sites leads to the following Cr/(Cr+Mg) ratios: 0.70(2) at M(1), 0.24(2) at M(2), and 0.03(2) at M(3). These occupancies are discussed and compared to those of isotypic compounds. The values of interatomic distances are found to be comparable with those reported by R. D. Shannon in 1976. Electron paramagnetic resonance has been also analyzed. Two absorption lines with g≈2.0 (type I) and g≈1.98 (type II) have been recorded in the EPR spectra, and attributed to V4+ ions and Cr3+–Cr3+ ion pairs, respectively. The exchange constant J between Cr3+ ions has been calculated.
Highly resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of copper(II) ion pairs in CuCe oxide