Synthesis, structural characterization, and physical properties of the new transition metal oxyselenide Ce2O2ZnSe2.

We report the synthesis and characterization of the new oxyselenide Ce2O2ZnSe2, which contains fluorite-like [Ce2O2]2+ layers of Ce4O tetrahedra (red) alternating with anti-fluorite-like [ZnSe2]2− layers (blue). The Zn ordering pattern in the selenide layers is novel yet closely related to those of other divalent transition metal containing compounds. Ce2O2ZnSe2 contains both edge- and corner-sharing ZnSe4 tetrahedra, leading to alternating “checkerboard-like” and “stripe-like” regions along the a axis