RB2HG3TE4 - A NEW LAYERED COMPOUND SYNTHESIZED FROM SOLVOTHERMAL REACTIONS

A layered mercury telluride, Rb2Hg3Te4, was discovered during an explo ration of hydro(solvo)thermal synthesis of tellurides at temperatures somewhat above the boiling point of ethylenediamine. Crystals of Rb2Hg 3Te4 were grown from solvothermal reactions using ethylenediamine as a solvent. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that this co mpound belongs to the orthorhombic system, space group Pbcn (No. 60) w ith lattice parameters a=12.177(2) Angstrom, b=7.245(2) Angstrom, c=14 .545(2) Angstrom, and Z=4. The structure contains two-dimensional laye rs of (2)(infinity)[Hg3Te42-] which are separated by the Rb+ counterio ns. The interlayer Te-Te distances imply weak van der Waals interactio ns. Rb2Hg3Te4 is the first two-dimensional mercury telluride prepared by an unconventional low-temperature technique.