Synthesis and Crystal Structure of α ‐ThTe 3

The binary thorium tritelluride, α‐ThTe 3 , was synthesized by solid‐state methods at 1223 K. From a single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study the material crystallizes in the TiS 3 structure type with two formula units in space group C 2 2 h – P 2 1 / m of the monoclinic system in a cell with lattice constants a = 6.1730 (4) Å, b = 4.3625(3) Å, c = 10.4161(6) Å, and β = 97.756(3)° (at 100 K). The asymmetric unit of this compound comprises one Th atom and three Te atoms each with site symmetry m . Each Th atom is coordinated to eight Te atoms in a bicapped trigonal‐pyramidal arrangement. Th–Te distances range from 3.1708(4) Å to 3.2496(6) Å. The structure features a Te–Te interaction 2.7631(8) Å in length, which is typical for a Te–Te single bond. Thus α ‐ThTe 3 may be charge balanced and formulated as Th 4+ Te 2– Te 2 2– .