A barium germanium nitride, Ba3Ge2N2, containing1|Ge2− and GeN24− anions

Single crystals of a ternary nitride, Ba3Ge2N2, were synthesized by the reaction of Ba and Ge with N form NaN1 in a Na melt by slow cooling from 750 C. The structure as determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction is monoclinic space groupP21/m with Z = 2, and has lattice parametersa = 9.61196(6), b = 4.0466(2), c = 10.1337Å β = 113.553(41). The structure consiss of angular nitrodometallate anions of |GeN2| and prisos of |Ba1Ge]1 condensed in one dimensions to firm zigzag Zintl anionsx1|Ge2−. The GeN bond length in the |GeN2]1 anions (L88 A) is similar to those found in the linear MN22 anions, while the GeGe bond in the Ge2 chains (2.50Å) is only slightly larger than in elemental Ge (2.45Å).