The adaptable lyonsite structure.

Crystal frameworks that can accommodate a wide range of elements, oxidation states, and stoichiometries are an important component of solid-state chemistry. These frameworks allow for unique comparisons of different metal-cation compositions with identical atomic arrangements. The mineral Lyonsite, alpha-Cu(3)Fe(4)(VO(4))(6), is emerging as the archetypal framework structure for a large class of materials, similar to known frameworks such as perovskite, garnet, apatite, and spinel. The new lyonsite-type oxides Li(2.82)Hf(0.795)Mo(3)O(12) and Li(3.35)Ta(0.53)Mo(3)O(12), in which hafnium and tantalum retain their highest oxidation states, are presented to advance the concept of the lyonsite structure as an adaptable framework.