A new pnictidehalide with van der Waals host–guest interactions exhibiting both geometric spin frustration and resistive humidity sensitivity

The structure and electric and magnetic properties of a new metal pnictidehalide (Hg₆P₄)(CrCl₆)Cl are reported in detail. The weak van der Waals interactions in its structure are responsible for its geometric spin frustration and good resistive humidity sensitivity.

Reduction of the Host Cationic Framework Charge by Isoelectronic Substitution: Synthesis and Structure of Hg7Ag2P8X6 (X = Br, I) and Hg6Ag4P8Br6

The first compounds, Hg(7)Ag(2)P(8)X(6) (X = Br, I) and Hg(6)Ag(4)P(8)Br(6), featuring the partial isoelectronic substitution of Hg(2+) for Ag(1+) in mercury-pnicogen frameworks have been obtained and structurally characterized. The new compounds are the supramolecular assemblies built of the covalently bonded metal-pnicogen frameworks trapping guests of different complexity. The frameworks feature the perfect ordering of Hg(2+) and Ag(1+) cations and contain P(2)(4)(-) and P(6)(6)(-) phosphorus clusters. The substitution of Hg(2+) with Ag(1+) leads to the reduction in charge of the host cluster-containing cationic matrix and concomitant replacement of the monatomic X(-) guest by a lesser amount of the AgBr(3)(2)(-) anions.