Hydrothermal Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Two New Hydrated Alkaline Earth Metal Borates Sr3B6O11(OH)2 and Ba3B6O11(OH)2

Two new hydrated borates Sr3B6O11(OH)(2) (1) and Ba3B6O11(OH)(2) (2) were hydrothermally synthesized. Their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and further characterized by IR, powder XRD, and DSC/TGA. Compound 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with unit cell parameters of a = 6.6275(13) angstrom, b = 6.6706(13) angstrom, c = 11.393(2) angstrom, alpha = 91.06(3)degrees, beta = 94.50(3)degrees, and gamma = 93.12(3)degrees, while compound 2 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric monoclinic space group Pc with a = 6.958(14) angstrom, b = 7.024(14) angstrom, c = 11.346(2) angstrom, and beta = 90.10(3)degrees. In spite of the differences in symmetry and packing of the borate chains, both structures consist of the same fundamental building block (FBB) of a [B6O11(H)(2)](-6) unit and three unique alkaline earth metal atoms.