High-temperature, high-pressure hydrothermal synthesis, characterization, and structural relationships of mixed-alkali metals uranyl silicates

• Three new mixed-alkali metals uranyl silicates were synthesized by high-T, high-P hydrothermal method and structurally.
• Two compounds adopt a layer structure and the third one has a 3D framework structure.
• The 3D framework structure contains a unique unbranched dreier fourfold silicate chain formed of Q2, Q3, and Q4 Si.

Three mixed-alkali metals uranyl silicates, Na3K3[(UO2)3(Si2O7)2]·2H2O (1), Na3Rb3[(UO2)3(Si2O7)2] (2), and Na6Rb4[(UO2)4Si12O33] (3), have been synthesized by high-temperature, high-pressure hydrothermal reactions at 550 °C and 1440 bar, and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and thermogravimetric analysis. Compound 1 and 2 are isostructural and contain layers of uranyl disilicate. The smaller cation, Na+, is located in the intralayer channels, whereas the larger cations, K+ and Rb+, and water molecule are located in the interlayer region. The absence of lattice water in 2 can be understood according to the valence-matching principle. The structure is related to that of a previously reported mixed-valence uranium(V,VI) silicate. Compound 3 adopts a 3D framework structure and contains a unique unbranched dreier fourfold silicate chain with the structural formula {uB,41∞}[3Si12O33] formed of Q2, Q3, and Q4 Si. The connectivity of the Si atoms in the Si12O3318− anion can be interpreted on the basis of Zintl–Klemm concept. Crystal data for compound 1: triclinic, P-1, a=5.7981(2) Å, b=7.5875(3) Å, c=12.8068(5) Å, α=103.593(2)°, β=102.879(2)°, γ=90.064(2)°, V=533.00(3) Å3, Z=1, R1=0.0278; compound 2: triclinic, P-1, a=5.7993(3) Å, b=7.5745(3) Å, c=12.9369(6) Å, α=78.265(2)°, β=79.137(2)°, γ=89.936(2)°, V=546.02(4) Å3, Z=1, R1=0.0287; compound 3: monoclinic, C2/m, a=23.748(1) Å, b=7.3301(3) Å, c=15.2556(7) Å, β=129.116(2)°, V=2060.4(2) Å3, Z=2, R1=0.0304.

Three mixed-alkali metals uranyl silicates were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at 550 °C and 1400 bar and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Two of them have a layer structure with the alkali metal cations within and between the layers. The third one adopts a 3D framework structure and contains a unique unbranched dreier fourfold silicate chain formed of Q2, Q3, and Q4 Si.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide