The crystal and molecular structure of diethylenetriammonium hexachloro-antimonate(III)

A compound of the type [DenH₃]SbCl₆ (DenH₃ = diethylenetriammonium cation) was prepared and characterized by means of structural and vibrational measurements. The structure consists of monomeric SbCl₆^3? anions and triprotonated diethylenetriam-monium cations. The SbCl₆^3? anion has a strongly distorted octahedral geometry, presenting three short (2.415–2.495 Å) and three long (2.836–3.114 Å) SbCl bonds. The presence of multiple hydrogen bonds, mainly involving the counterion and the three long-bonded chlorine atoms, is considered to be responsible for the octahedral distortion. Vibrational properties of the complex are discussed in the light of its known crystal structure.