Crystal Structure of a Double Neptunium(V) Lanthanum Nitrate, La(NpO2)3(NO3)6•nH2O

The structure of a double neptunium(V) lanthanum nitrate, La(NpO2)(3)(NO3)(6)center dot nH(2)O, was studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Each neptunyl(V) ion in the structure of the compound is bonded to four other neptunyl(V) ions, acting simultaneously as a bidentate ligand and as a coordination center for two other dioxocations. The cation-cation interaction of the neptunyl(V) ions results in formation of trigonal-hexagonal cationic networks. The surrounding of each Np atom also includes two bidentate nitrate ions. The CN of the Np atom is 8, and the coordination polyhedron is a distorted hexagonal bipyramid. The La3+ cations are surrounded only by water molecules.