CeMo2B5: A New Type of Arrangement of Puckered Boron Hexagonal Rings

Abstract

REMo2B5 (RE = Ce, Pr, Nd) and CeW2B5 have been synthesized by arc melting with further annealing at 1300 °C. CeMo2B5 crystallizes in a new structure type with space group Pnma, a = 11.0298(2) Å, b = 3.12080(5) Å, c = 9.9594(2) Å, Z = 4. Its structural arrangement reveals puckered [B6]-hexagonal rings, trigonal-prismatic- and empty pyramidal-tetrahedral-slabs. The structure can be related to the derivatives of AlB2 and CrB prototypes. The boron atoms form a two-dimensional network of corrugated ribbons, each composed of four edge-linked [B6] rings infinitely extending along the b-axis. CeMo2B5 is a Pauli paramagnet. Electrical transport measurements together with the calculated density of states at the Fermi level of 3.81 states eV–1 f.u.–1 indicate CeMo2B5 to be a typical metallic system. Electronic structure calculations reveal significant hybridization of Ce 4f5d states with Mo 4d states. The chemical bonding scenario is dominated by chains of [Ce2Mo2] clusters with multi-center bonds. These clusters are connected via metallic Mo–Mo bonds. This metal-framework, in turn, is stabilized by bonding interactions with the boron ribbons to which it donates electrons.