Comparative Structural Characteristic of Aqueous Lanthanide Chloride Solutions at 1 : 40 Molar Ratio from X-ray Diffraction Data

Abstract

Aqueous lanthanide chloride solutions with 1 : 40 molar ratio have been studied by X-ray diffraction. Quantitative characteristics of the short-range environment of ions in solutions have been determined using model approach to analysis of experimental data. It has been confirmed that the number of molecules in the short-range environment decreases from nine to eight on passing from light to heavy cations. In so doing, three-caped trigonal prism coordination spheres of cations become two-caped one. Cations also form second coordination spheres composed of 8–10 solvent molecules. Noncontact ion associates form in all the systems.