Refinement of the crystal structures of strontium cobalt oxychlorides by neutron powder diffraction

The crystal structures of strontium cobalt oxychlorides of general formula Sr2CoO3Cl (Co-1L), Sr3Co2O5Cl2 (Co-2L), and Sr4Co3O7.5Cl2 (Co-3L) have been determined from neutron powder data. The compounds crystallize in tetragonal symmetry, space group P4/nmm (Co-1L) or I4/mmm (Co-2L and Co-3L). Their structures are analogous to the Ruddlesden-Popper phases of general formula Srn+1MnO2n+1. All three structures contain layers of highly distorted CoO5Cl octahedron. The Co-3L structure, in addition, has a layer of regular CoO6 octahedra. Because the in-plane oxygen position of the latter is partially occupied, some of the Co atoms adopt pyramidal coordination, with their basal planes parallel to the c-axis. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility is also reported. The moment per mole of Co atom decreases with increasing number of (CoO2) layers.