Ternary rare earth metal boride carbides containing two-dimensional boron–carbon network: The crystal and electronic structure of R2B4C (R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er)

The ternary rare earth boride carbides R2B4C (R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er) have been synthesized by reacting the elements at temperatures between 1800 and 2000K. The crystal structure of Dy2B4C has been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. It crystallizes in a new structure type in the orthorhombic space group Immm (a=3.2772(6) Å, b=6.567(2) Å, c=7.542(1) Å, Z=2, R1=0.035 (wR2=0.10) for 224 reflections with Io>2σ(Io)). Boron atoms form infinite chains of fused B6 rings in [100] joined with carbon atoms into planar, two-dimensional networks which alternate with planar sheets of rare earth metal atoms. The electronic structure of Dy2B4C was also analyzed using the tight-binding extended Hückel method.

Graphical abstractDy2B4C crystallizes a new structure type where planar 63-Dy metal atom layers alternate with planar non-metal layers consisting of ribbons of fused B6 hexagons bridged by carbon atoms. Isostructural analogues with Tb, Ho and Er have also been characterized.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide