Lutetium(III) oxotellurate(IV), Lu2Te4O11

Rare-earth( III) oxotellurates(IV) with the composition M2Te4O11 are known for yttrium and all lanthanides except promethium and lutetium from single-crystal X-ray structure determinations. Single crystals of the last missing non-radioactive isostructural compound, Lu2Te4O11, can now be obtained by modifying the common method of synthesis from the binary oxides (Lu2O3 and TeO2; 1: 4 molar ratio) using torch-sealed non-evacuated silica ampoules as reaction containers. The structure contains layers of edge-sharing [LuO8] polyhedra connected by oxotellurate(IV) chains. These consist of [TeO3](2-) and [Te2O5](2-) anions ( with psi(1)-tetrahedral oxygen coordination for all central Te4+ cations) linked by strong secondary Te-O interactions.