CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF SCCL3 REFINED FROM POWDER NEUTRON-DIFFRACTION DATA

The crystal structure of ScCl3 has been refined from high-resolution powder neutron diffraction data. The structure is of the BiI3 type, and consists of two-dimensional ScCl3 layers. A slight deformation of the ScCl6 coordination octahedron is rationalized on the basis of the different surroundings of the faces of the octahedron. The interatomic distances are discussed in light of crystal structure data for reduced scandium chlorides.