Infrared and Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction studies of solid lead(II) carbonates

Four basic lead carbonates were prepared and identified by X-ray powder diffractometry. These were hydrocerussite (Pb 3 (OH) 2 (CO 3 ) 2 ), plumbonacrite (Pb 10 O(OH) 6 (CO 3 ) 6 ), and the two adducts MOH•2PbCO 3 (M = Na, K). New diffraction data are presented for the latter two compounds; they both have primitive hexagonal lattices with two formula units per unit cell. The unit cell dimensions of the sodium and potassium compounds are a = 5.273 ± 0.002 Å, c = 13.448 ± 0.005 Å and a = 5.348 ± 0.002 Å, c = 13.990 ± 0.005 Å, respectively. Six possible space groups are discussed.Raman and infrared spectra are reported for all four compounds, and compared with those of cerussite (PbCO 3 ); assignment of the spectral features is discussed. Vibrational spectra of the two MOH adducts indicate that they are isostructural, and that the structure contains a well-defined lead sub-lattice, consistent with the X-ray data. The spectra of hydrocerussite and plumbonacrite indicate that lead is present as oxygen-bridged polymeric moieties in these solids. The carbonate ions occupy two and three independent sites in hydrocerussite and plumbonacrite, respectively.