Crystal structure of alluaudite-type Na4Co(MoO4)3

The title compound, tetrasodium cobalt(II) tris[molyb-date(IV)], was prepared by solid-state reactions. The structure is isotypic with Na3In2(AsO4)3 and Na3In2(PO4)3. The main structural feature is the presence of infinite chains of edge-sharing X2O10 (X = Co/Na) dimers, which are linked by MoO4 tetrahedra, forming a three-dimensional framework enclosing two types of hexagonal tunnels in which Na+ cations reside. In this alluaudite structure, Co and Na atoms are located at the same general site with occupancies of 0.503 (5) and 0.497 (6), respectively. The other three Na and one of the two Mo atoms lie on special positions (site symmetries 2, 1, 2 and 2, respectively). The structure is compared with similar struc-tures and other members of alluaudite family