Synthesis and crystal structure of lithium beryllium deuteride Li2BeD4.

Single-phase ternary deuteride Li(2)BeD(4) was synthesized by a high-pressure high-temperature technique from LiD and BeD(2). The crystal structure of Li(2)BeD(4) was solved from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with lattice parameters a = 7.06228(9) A, b = 8.3378(1) A, c = 8.3465(1) A, beta =93.577(1) degrees, and Z = 8. Its structure contains isolated BeD(4) tetrahedra and Li atoms that are located in the structure interstices. Li(2)BeD(4) does not undergo any structural phase transitions at temperatures down to 8 K.