Crystal Structures of α- and β-SrCeCuS3

The crystal structure of SrCeCuS3, a complex sulfide synthesized for the first time, has been solved using X-ray powder diffraction data. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pnma. SrCeCuS3 has two polymorphs: the high-temperature phase of Ba2MnS3 structural type (a = 8.1393(3) angstrom, b = 4.0587(2) angstrom, c = 15.9661(2) angstrom) and the low-temperature phase isostructural to BaLaCuS3 (a = 11.1626(2) angstrom, b = 4.0970(2) angstrom, c = 11.5307(1) angstrom). The incongruent melting temperature and enthalpy of SrCeCuS3 are, respectively, 1486 +/- 3 K and 13.4 +/- 1.5 J/g.