High-pressure preparation, crystal structure, and properties of alpha-(RE)2B4O9 (RE=Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy): oxoborates displaying a new type of structure with edge-sharing BO4 tetrahedra.

High-pressure/high-temperature conditions of 10 GPa and 1150 degrees C were used to synthesize the new rare-earth oxoborates alpha-(RE)(2)B(4)O(9) (RE=Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy) in a Walker-type multianvil apparatus. Single-crystal X-ray structure determination of alpha-(RE)(2)B(4)O(9) (RE=Eu, Gd, Tb) revealed: C2/c, Z=20, alpha-Eu(2)B(4)O(9): a=2547.9(5), b=444.3(1), c=2493.8(5) pm, beta=99.82(3) degrees, R1=0.0277, wR2=0.0693 (all data); alpha-Gd(2)B(4)O(9): a=2539.0(1), b=443.3(1), c=2490.8(1) pm, beta=99.88(1) degrees, R1=0.0457, wR2=0.0643 (all data); alpha-Tb(2)B(4)O(9): a=2529.4(1), b=441.6(1), c=2484.3(1) pm, beta=99.88(1) degrees, R1=0.0474, wR2=0.0543 (all data). The isotypic compounds exhibit a new type of structure that is built up of BO(4) tetrahedra to form a network that incorporates the rare-earth cations. The most important feature is the existence of the new structural motif of edge-sharing BO(4) tetrahedra next to the known motif of corner-sharing BO(4) tetrahedra, which is realized in the presented compounds alpha-(RE)(2)B(4)O(9) (RE=Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy) for the second time. Furthermore, we report the temperature-resolved in-situ powder-diffraction measurements, DTA, IR/Raman spectroscopic investigations, and magnetic properties of the new compounds.