Crystal Structure of Ce 3 Ni 2 (BN) 2 N and Magnetic Behavior of (CeNi(BN)) 2 (CeN) x with x = 0, 1

The new compound Ce 3 Ni 2 (BN) 2 N was synthesized by a modified solid state metathesis reaction. The crystal structure of Ce 3 Ni 2 (BN) 2 N was found to be isotypic with the superconducting compound La 3 Ni 2 (BN) 2 N, according to Rietveld refinements performed on X‐ray powder data ( I4/mmm , Z = 2, a = 3.5817(1) Å, c = 20.283(1) Å). Corresponding solid state reactions of mixtures composed of CeN/NiB and CeNi/BN yielded CeNi(BN) and a mixture of the two closely related layered structures (CeNi(BN)) 2 (CeN) x with x = 0 and 1. Magnetization experiments on these samples revealed temperature independent paramagnetic behavior for Ce 3 Ni 2 (BN) 2 N and CeNi(BN) without any magnetic ordering down to 5 K.