Darstellung und Kristallstruktur des K5Te3 / Preparation and Crystal Structure of K5Te3
The structure of the first of the new alkali metal chalcogenides of the composition M5X3 has been solved (K5Te3: a = 13.742(2)Å, c = 6.364(2) Å, space group: I 4/m, Z = 4). It can be derived from the W5Si3 type of structure by substituting the · · · Si · · · Si · · · Si · · · chains by those of Te22--dumbbells · · · (Te–Te) · · · (Te–Te) · · · (Te–Te) · · · , both running along [001]. The Te22--dumbbells occur as a consequence of the necessity of charge compensation of the saltlike compound K5Te3, according to 2 K5Te3 ⇌ 10 K+ + Te22- + 4 Te2-. The remaining tellurium atoms not involved in the dumbbells build up strings of tetrahedra ∞1[ΚΤe4/2], with common edges along [001]. Therefore, the resulting K–K distances in these strings of tetrahedra are extremely short (3.18 A).