DOE OSTI2020
La3(AgSn)4 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Immm space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are two inequivalent La sites. In the first La site, La is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to six equivalent Ag and six Sn atoms. There are four shorter (3.38 Å) and two longer (3.48 Å) La–Ag bond lengths. There are two shorter (3.40 Å) and four longer (3.47 Å) La–Sn bond lengths. In the second La site, La is bonded to eight equivalent Ag and six Sn atoms to form distorted face-sharing LaAg8Sn6 octahedra. All La–Ag bond lengths are 3.86 Å. There are four shorter (3.32 Å) and two longer (3.42 Å) La–Sn bond lengths. Ag is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to five La, one Ag, and four Sn atoms. The Ag–Ag bond length is 2.88 Å. There are a spread of Ag–Sn bond distances ranging from 2.81–2.94 Å. There are two inequivalent Sn sites. In the first Sn site, Sn is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to three La and six equivalent Ag atoms. In the second Sn site, Sn is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to six La, two equivalent Ag, and one Sn atom. The Sn–Sn bond length is 2.88 Å.