Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
As part of an ongoing program exploring the solvothermal synthesis and crystal chemistry of organically templated metal fluorides, a novel compound [C2N2H10]0.5[Y2F7] has been isolated. The structure consists of a continuous 3-D array of YF8 and YF9 polyhedra linked through corners, edges and faces to enclose small channels in which the template cations sit. The structure is stable up to 400°C, at which point template loss causes structural collapse. This structure represents the first yttrium or rare-earth fluoride templated by organic cations, and suggests a wide variety of novel structure types will be amenable via such routes, possibly leading to novel families of luminescent materials.