Infrared investigations of the order–disorder ferroelectric phase transitions in imidazolium halogenobismuthates(III) and halogenoantimonates(III): (C3N2H5)5Bi2Cl11, (C3N2H5)5Bi2Br11 and (C3N2H5)5Sb2Br11

Infrared spectra of the powdered (C3N2H5)5Bi2Cl11, (C3N2H5)5Bi2Br11and (C3N2H5)5Sb2Br11 crystals in the region of internal vibrations of the imidazolium cations (3600 and 400 cm−1) at the temperature intervals of 10–300 K, covering paraelectric–ferroelectric phase transitions, are presented and discussed in this paper. The research shows that the vibrational states of the imidazolium cations change markedly during the paraelectric–ferroelectric phase transition. The continuous nature of these transitions is well reflected in the infrared spectra, which is consistent with the previous X-ray and dielectric findings.