Redetermination of the crystal structure of K2Hg(SCN)4

Abstract

Single crystals of K2Hg(SCN)4 [dipotassium tetrathiocyanatomercurate(II)] were grown from aqueous solutions of potassium thiocyanate and mercury(II) thiocyanate and studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In comparison with the previously reported structure model [Zvonkova (1952). Zh. Fiz. Khim. 26, 1798–1803], all atoms in the crystal structure were located, with lattice parameters and fractional coordinates determined to a much higher precision. In the (crystal) structure, the HgII atom is located on a twofold rotation axis and is coordinated in the form of a distorted tetrahedron by four S atoms of the thiocyanate anions. The K+ cation shows a coordination number of eight.

Keywords

• crystal structure
• redetermination
• mercury
• thiocyanate