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Abstract:
The new compound {IrCe3}I-3 was synthesized by comproportionation reactions of stoichiometric ratios of CeI3, Ce and Ir. Single crystal X-ray diffraction structure determination shows that {IrCe3}I-3 crystallizes with the cubic variant of the {TR3}X-3 family (I4(1)32, Z=8, a=12.450(1) angstrom, V=1930.0(3) angstrom(3)) and is isostructural with the recently reported {RuLa3}Br-3. Octahedral {IrCe6} clusters share three common edges forming interpenetrating chains that run along the 4(1) screw axes. Magnetic measurements on pure powder samples of {IrCe3}I-3 show paramagnetic behavior and, at temperatures below 2 K, a mictomagnetic state. The isostructural {RuLa3}Br-3 is a Pauli paramagnet suggesting metallic conductivity which is consistent with band structure calculations where the Fermi level is placed below a pseudogap. For {IrCe3}I-3, on the contrary, the Fermi level falls in a narrow gap rather than a pseudogap suggesting activated conductivity. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
