Hydrothermal synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of Pu(SeO3)2

The reaction between PuO2 and SeO2 under mild hydrothermal conditions results in the formation of Pu(SeO3)2 as brick-red prisms. This compound adopts the Ce(SeO3)2 structure type, and consists of one-dimensional chains of edge-sharing [PuO8] distorted bicapped trigonal prisms linked by [SeO3] units into a three-dimensional network. Crystallographic data: Pu(SeO3)2, monoclinic, space group P21/n, a=6.960(1) Å, b=10.547(2) Å, c=7.245(1) Å, β=106.880(9)°, V=508.98(17) Å3, Z=4 (T=193 K), R(F)=2.92% for 83 parameters with 1140 reflections with I>2σ(I). Magnetic susceptibility data for Pu(SeO3)2 are linear from 35 to 320 K and yield an effective moment of 2.71(5) μB and a Weiss constant of −500(5) K.

A depiction of the three-dimensional structure of Pu(SeO3)2 formed from the interconnection of one-dimensional chains of edge-sharing PuO8 dodecahedra by selenite anions.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide