PHASE RATIOS IN THE M2O–V2O5–SO3 (M = Rb, Cs) SYSTEMS
421
M3VO2(SO4)2 compounds melt incongruently to yield in work [17]: for the rubidium compound, a =
4.9732(1) Å, b = 8.7896(1) Å, c = 16.6954(3) Å; and
for the thallium compound, a = 4.9606(1) Å, b =
8.7341(1) Å, c = 16.8504(2) Å; Z = 4, space group
P212121. In the atmosphere of water vapor saturated at
room temperature, rubidium and cesium oxosulfovana-
dates(V) are hydrolyzed:
M2SO4 crystals over the temperature ranges of 340–
585°C (the rubidium compound) and 310–560°C (the
cesium compound). When the compounds are heated above
the liquidus points, they eliminate sulfur trioxide.
The MVO2SO4 (M = K, Rb, Cs) compounds were
synthesized by solid-phase annealing of M2S2O7 +
V2O5 blends at 300–420°C. Powdered RbVO2SO4 is
orange-red; the crystals have short prismatic or platy
habit, which is also characteristic of KVO2SO4 crystals
[3, 5, 7]. Powdered CsVO2SO4 has an intense yellow
color; the crystal habit is platy. The refractive indices
are the following: for RbVO2SO4, Ng = 2.016 0.010
(crimson-red) and Np = 1.724 0.003 (colorless); for
CsVO2SO4, Ng = 1.870 0.005 (light yellow) and Np =
1.650 0.002 (colorless). Processing the X-ray patterns
for MVO2SO4 (M = K, Rb) on the assumption of the
orthorhombic system gave the following results: for the
potassium compound, a = 11.1004(2) Å, b = 8.2626(2) Å,
c = 5.4772(1) Å; for the rubidium compound, a =
10.8203(2) Å, b = 8.9051(2) Å, c = 5.5726(1) Å; Z = 4,
space group P212121. The unit cell parameters for the
CsVO2SO4 structure are found in work [16]. The melt-
ing point of MVO2SO4 is 435°C for the rubidium com-
pound and 428°C for the cesium compound. When the
compounds are heated above the indicated tempera-
tures, they eliminate sulfur trioxide to the gas phase.
Rb3VO2(SO4)2 + 3H2O
(1)
= Rb[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] ⋅ H2O + Rb2SO4,
Rb4V2O3(SO4)4 + 7H2O
(2)
= 2Rb[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] ⋅ H2O + 2RbHSO4,
RbVO(SO4)2 + 4H2O
(3)
= Rb[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] ⋅ H2O + H2SO4.
The hydrolysis products of cesium oxosulfovana-
dates(V) are different in that they contain
Cs[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] instead of Rb[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] ·
H2O. H2SO4 is evolved during MVO(SO4)2 hydration,
which increases the water sensitivity of the samples and
enhances the decomposition of the compounds.
Yellow Rb[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] · H2O crystals are
shaped as flattened prisms with perfect cleavage along
pinacoid (001) and moderate cleavage along (100). The
extinction of the crystals lying on their pinacoidal faces
is vertical, while for the other orientations the extinc-
tion is usually oblique; the crystals are monoclinic. Ple-
ochroism is well defined: Ng = 1.615 0.002 (yellow),
Nm = 1.597 0.002 (light yellow), and Np = 1.558
0.001 (colorless). The unit cell parameters for the crys-
tal structure of M[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] · H2O (M = Rb, Tl)
compounds as determined from the crystal data for
K[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] · H2O [18], are the following: for
M = Rb, a = 6.2601(7) Å, b = 9.99736(8) Å, c =
6.69303(5) Å, β = 107.83(1)°; for M = Tl, a =
6.25817(5) Å, b = 9.96217(9) Å, c = 6.70379(6) Å, β =
107.83(1)°, Z = 2, space group P21. The orange-yellow
Cs[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] crystals are fibrous. The fibers
observed with a microscope are usually bent and bun-
dled; their thicknesses do not exceed 0.5 µm. The
refractive indices of the fibers are Ng = 1.712 and Np =
1.598.
The M4V2O3(SO4)4 synthesis was performed by
means of solid-phase annealing of 2M2S2O7 + V2O5
blends at 250–380°ë. Powdered Rb4V2O3(SO4)4 is
orange; microscopic examination shows crystals
shaped as regular rhombic prisms and their fragments,
which have vertical extinction in all sections. For
Cs4V2O3(SO4)4, irregular-shaped grains are typical.
The refractive indices are the following: for
Rb4V2O3(SO4)4, Ng = 1.762 0.005 (orange) and Np =
1.569 0.002 (colorless); for Cs4V2O3(SO4)4, Ng =
1.781 0.005 (light yellow) and Np = 1.584 0.002
(colorless). The M4V2O3(SO4)4 compound melt with-
out decomposition at 416°C for the rubidium com-
pound and 412°C for the cesium compound. At temper-
atures ~20°ë above the melting points, sulfur trioxide
evolution from M4V2O3(SO4)4 melts starts.
Reaction (3) is convenient for the synthesis of
M[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] · H2O: sulfuric acid can easily be
removed by washing with ethanol or acetone on a vac-
uum filter. On the other hand, M[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] ·
H2O (M = K, Rb) compounds are efficient precursors in
KVO2SO4 and RbVO2SO4 synthesis, which is based on
the following reactions:
To prepare the MVO(SO4)2 (M = Rb, Cs, Tl) com-
pounds, we heated MVO3 + 2H2SO4 blends at 150–
320°ë. MVO(SO4)2 powders are orange-yellow; micro-
scopic examination shows needlelike and prismatic
crystals with well-defined pleochroism and vertical
extinction in all sections. The refractive indices are as
follows: for RbVO(SO4)2, Ng > 1.785 (orange-yellow),
Nm = 1.722 0.005 (yellow), and Np = 1.599 0.002
(colorless); for CsVO(SO4)2, Ng > 1.785 (yellow), Nm =
1.736 0.005 (light yellow) and Np = 1.623 0.002
(colorless). The unit cell parameters for the MVO(SO4)2
(M = Rb, Tl) compounds were determined from data
obtained for their potassium and ammonium analogues
MVO3 + 2H2SO4 = MVO(SO4)2 + 2H2O↑,
(4)
MVO(SO4)2 + 4H2O
(5)
= M[VO2(SO4)(H2O)2] ⋅ H2O + H2SO4,
RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Vol. 52 No. 3 2007