Crystal growth at low temperatures - solvothermal synthesis and crystal structures of two mercury tellurides

Two mercury tellurium compounds [Mn(en)₃]₂Hg₂Te₉ and {[Mn(en)₃]₂Cl₂}(Hg₂Te₄) have been synthesized at 180 °C by solvothermal reactions using ethylenediamine as solvent. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses show that both compounds crystallize in monoclinic system, space group P2₁/c (no. 14) with four formula units in the unit cell. The cell dimensions are: a = 12.019(1) angstroms, b = 28.731(4) angstroms, c = 18.267(4) angstroms, β = 98.04(1)°, V = 6246(2) angstroms³ for [Mn(en)₃]₂Hg₂Te₉ and a = 15.720(3) angstroms, b = 16.812(3) angstroms, c = 15.224(3) angstroms, β = 114.31(1)°, V = 3668(1) angstroms³ for {[Mn(en)₃]₂Cl₂}(Hg₂Te₄). [Mn(en)₃]₂Hg₂Te₉ contains pseudo one-dimensional chains of weakly bound (Hg₂Te₉)^4- Zintl anions. The structure of {[Mn(en)₃]₂Cl₂}(Hg₂Te₄) contains one-dimensional chains of Zintl anion _∞¹[(Hg₂Te₄)^2-] formed by linking five-membered rings Hg₂Te₃ through bridging Te atoms. In both structures ethylenediamine incorporates into the manganese complex cation as bidentate ligand.