Studies on AB(2)-type intermetallic compounds .4. High-pressure synthesis and crystal structure of scandium dizinc ScZn2

Single crystals of the hitherto unknown intermetallic compound ScZn2 could be obtained from the elements by high-pressure high-temperature reaction in a modified Belt-type apparatus (h-BN capsule, 40 kbar, 1900 --> 1200 --> 25 degrees C, and subsequent release of high pressure). The crystals are hexagonal, space group P6(3)/mmc, with a = 5.2509(8), c = 8.4774(14) Angstrom, c/a = 1.6147 and Z = 4. Final residuals after refinement against F-2 were R(1) = 0.0349, wR(2) = 0.0752 and S = 1.117 for 11 parameters and all 86 unique data. ScZn2 is a Laves-Friauf phase adopting the C14 (MgZn2) type.