DOE OSTI2020
U(Cu3Ga)2 crystallizes in the trigonal R3m space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are two inequivalent U sites. In the first U site, U is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to fifteen Cu and four Ga atoms. There are a spread of U–Cu bond distances ranging from 3.01–3.26 Å. There are one shorter (3.42 Å) and three longer (3.44 Å) U–Ga bond lengths. In the second U site, U is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to fifteen Cu and three equivalent Ga atoms. There are a spread of U–Cu bond distances ranging from 3.02–3.35 Å. All U–Ga bond lengths are 3.29 Å. There are three inequivalent Cu sites. In the first Cu site, Cu is bonded in a 11-coordinate geometry to two U, six Cu, and three Ga atoms. There are a spread of Cu–Cu bond distances ranging from 2.55–2.66 Å. There are a spread of Cu–Ga bond distances ranging from 2.44–2.77 Å. In the second Cu site, Cu is bonded to three U, six Cu, and three Ga atoms to form a mixture of edge, corner, and face-sharing CuU3Ga3Cu6 cuboctahedra. Both Cu–Cu bond lengths are 2.49 Å. There are two shorter (2.61 Å) and one longer (2.89 Å) Cu–Ga bond lengths. In the third Cu site, Cu is bonded in a 11-coordinate geometry to three U, six Cu, and two equivalent Ga atoms. Both Cu–Ga bond lengths are 2.50 Å. There are two inequivalent Ga sites. In the first Ga site, Ga is bonded in a 11-coordinate geometry to two U, eight Cu, and one Ga atom. The Ga–Ga bond length is 2.95 Å. In the second Ga site, Ga is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to one U, nine Cu, and three equivalent Ga atoms.