Explorations of new phases in the GaIII/InIII–MoVI–SeIV/TeIV–O systems

Systematic explorations of new phases in the Ga(III)/In(III)-Mo(VI)-Se(IV)/Te(IV)-O systems by hydrothermal syntheses or solid-state reactions at high-temperature led to four new quaternary compounds, namely, Ga(2)MoQ(2)O(10) (Q = Se, Te), In(2)Mo(2)Se(2)O(13)(H(2)O) and In(2)MoTe(2)O(10). Ga(2)MoQ(2)O(10) (Q = Se, Te) are isostructural and their structures feature a 3D network of gallium selenite/tellurite with 12-member ring tunnels along b-axis, the distorted MoO(6) octahedra are attached on the wall of the above tunnels. The structure of In(2)Mo(2)Se(2)O(13)(H(2)O) features a new pillared-layered architecture composed of 2D indium(III) selenite layers that are interconnected by Mo(2)O(10) dimers, forming 8-membered ring tunnels along the b-axis. The structure of In(2)MoTe(2)O(10) features a 2D indium oxide layer formed by corner- and edge-sharing InO(6) and InO(7) polyhedra with MoO(4) tetrahedra and TeO(n) (n = 4, 5) polyhedra hanging on both sides of the layer, there are weak interlayer Te-O bonds of 2.512 A. Results of optical diffuse reflectance spectrum measurements indicate that all four compounds are insulators, which are in agreement with results of band structure calculations based on DFT methods.