Mercury(II) diphosphate, Hg2P2O7, belongs to the M2X2O7 family of comp
ounds with dichromate-type crystal structures and is isotypic with Cd2
P2O7. The structure consists of alternating layers built from P2O7 gro
ups and highly distorted HgO6 polyhedra with bond distances in the ran
ges 2.120(6) less than or equal to d(Hg1O(6)) less than or equal to 2.
793 (7) Angstrom and 2.208 (6) less than or equal to d(Hg2O(6)) less t
han or equal to 2.509(6) Angstrom. The diphosphate anion has a P-O-P b
ridging angle of 133.4(4)degrees. The average P-O bond length is 1.604
Angstrom for bridging and 1.524 Angstrom for terminal bonds. [Hg1(2)O
(10)] and [Hg2(2)O(10)] form chains running along [110] through edge-s
haring dimers. These chains link to form layers parallel to ((1) over
bar 10) via common vertices.