Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The title compounds and several other new ternary phosphides – all with closely related crystal structures – were prepared mostly by using elemental tin as a flux. ScFe<jats:sub>5</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>, Sc(Ta<jats:sub>0.18</jats:sub>Fe<jats:sub>0.82</jats:sub>)Fe<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>, and ZrFe<jats:sub>5</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> are isotypic with YCo<jats:sub>5</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>. The crystal structure of the tantalum containing compound was determined from single‐crystal X‐ray counter data: space group <jats:italic>Pnma</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>a</jats:italic> = 1212.5(2) pm, <jats:italic>b</jats:italic> = 363.0(2) pm, <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> = 1052.2(2) pm with a residual <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> = 0.036 for 505 unique structure factors and 30 variable parameters. The Ta atoms occupy only that Fe site with the highest coordination number. The crystal structure of ScRu<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> (α‐UCr<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> type) was refined from single‐crystal data: <jats:italic>P</jats:italic><jats:styled-content>$\bar{6}$<jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/tex2gif-ueqn-1.gif" xlink:title="equation image" /></jats:styled-content><jats:italic>m</jats:italic>2, <jats:italic>a</jats:italic> = 690.0(2) pm, <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> = 362.5(3) pm; <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> = 0.023 for 226 <jats:italic>F</jats:italic><jats:sub>o</jats:sub> and 15 variables. The same structure was also found from <jats:italic>Guinier</jats:italic> powder data for ErRu<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> and ZrCr<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>. However, single‐crystal film data for the latter compound suggest a superstructure with a doubling of the hexagonal axis. The new compound Nd<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Ru<jats:sub>12</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> is shown from <jats:italic>Guinier</jats:italic> powder data to crystallize with a hexagonal Zr<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Fe<jats:sub>12</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> type structure. X‐ray powder data also confirm Zr<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Ru<jats:sub>12</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>7</jats:sub> and SmCo<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> to crystallize with Zr<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Fe<jats:sub>12</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>7</jats:sub>and HoCo<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> type structures, respectively. The crystal structure of the phosphide U<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Cr<jats:sub>30</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>19</jats:sub> is confirmed to be isotypic with Zr<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Cr<jats:sub>30</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>19</jats:sub>. The same structure was found for the new compound U<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>Mo<jats:sub>30</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>19</jats:sub>. The crystal structures of these and other compounds with a metal to phosphorus ratio close to 2:1 are briefly discussed including that of LiCo<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>P<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>.</jats:p>