THE STRUCTURES OF SOME RARE-EARTH BASIC NITRATES [LN6(MU-6-O)(MU-3-OH)8(H2O)12(NO3)6](NO3)2.XH2O, LN=Y, GD, YB, X(Y, YB)=4 X(GD)=5 - A NOVEL RARE-EARTH-METAL CLUSTER OF THE M6X8 TYPE WITH INTERSTITIAL O-ATOM

Novel rare earth metal compounds with the formula [Ln6(O)(OH)8(H2O)12(NO)3)6](NO3)2.xH2O, Ln=Y, Gd, Yb x(Y, Yb) = 4; x(Gd) = 5 (Y-BN, GdBN and YbBN) containing clusters of the type M6X8 were prepared and their structures determined. The compounds Y-BN and YbBN are triclinic, space group P1BAR, with lattice parameters a = 10.09(2) angstrom, b = 10.13(2) angstrom, c = 11.47(20) angstrom, alpha = 96.7(1), beta = 108.8(1), gamma = 110.8(1)-degrees (Y-BN) and a = 10.006(2) angstrom, b = 10.040(1) angstrom, c = 11.318(5) angstrom, alpha = 96.52(2), beta = 108.68(3), gamma = 110.79(2)-degrees (YbBN). GdBN is monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 12.828(3) angstrom, b = 19.175(5) angstrom, c = 17.554(6) angstrom and beta = 106.73(1)-degrees. The structures are formed by an octahedral [Ln6] core coordinated by 8 mu3-OH- and an interstitial mu6-O2- in the inner coordination sphere with H2O molecules and NO3- anions in the outer coordination shell.