STABILIZATION OF THE NEW ANTIMONIDE ZR2V6SB9 BY V-V AND SB-SB BONDING

The metal-rich antimonide Zr2V6Sb9 has been prepared by are-melting of stoichiometric mixtures of Zr, V, and VSb2. Zr2V6Sb9 is the first exa mple of a ternary ordered (filled) variant of the unusual V,,Sb,, stru cture type. In addition to strong metal-antimony bonding, the crystal structure is significantly stabilized by bonding V-V and Sb-Sb interac tions, whereas the Zr atoms do not form short metal-metal bonds. Band structure calculations using the Extended Huckel approximation reveal Zr2V6Sb9 being metallic, in agreement with the Pauli paramagnetism exp erimentally observed.