Crystal-structure and Mossbauer Study of Tetralithium Iron(iii) Trioxalate Chloride Nonahydrate

The crystal structure of the complex Li4[Fe(C2O4)3]Cl . 9H2O has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. It is composed of sheets perpendicular to the c-axis of the hexagonal cell. In the direction of c, short and long intervals, occupied by hydrated lithium ions, alternate between the sheets. The coordination is distorted octahedral for the iron ion, the chlorine ion and one of the lithium ions. It is nearly tetrahedral for the other lithium ions. The Mossbauer spectra are characterized by an asymmetric quadrupole doublet arising from a local distorsion of the iron octahedral coordination and the presence of a relatively fast spin-spin relaxation process.