Sr₃Co₂O₅Cl₂ and Sr₂CoO₃Cl: Two layered cobalt oxychlorides

Two layered Co³⁺ oxychlorides, Sr₃Co₂O₅Cl₂ and Sr₂CoO₃Cl, with crystal structures related to the Ruddlesden-Popper type, are reported. Small crystals were grown by the self-flux method, and the structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The layers are formed from CoO₅Cl octahedra sharing corners, with the Cl in one of the apical positions, relatively distant from the Co such that the Co coordination polyhedra closely resemble CoO₅ pyramids. The resulting CoO₂ planes are highly buckled, with long in-plane Co-O bond lengths and short apical Co-O bondlengths.