Reinvestigation of MnSn2

The structure of manganese distannite, MnSn2, known from X-ray powder diffraction data, has been refined based on single-crystal data. This intermetallic compound crystallizes in the tetragonal CuAl2 structure type. Mn atoms (4a position) form chains parallel to the c axis and each Mn atom is surrounded by eight Sn atoms in a square antiprism. Each Sn atom (8h position) has four Mn near neighbors from two neighboring Mn chains forming Mn4Sn rectangular prisms.