Mg2WAl3S8 is Hausmannite-derived structured and crystallizes in the trigonal R-3m space group. Mg(1) is bonded to one S(2) and three equivalent S(1) atoms to form MgS4 tetrahedra that share corners with three equivalent W(1)S6 octahedra and corners with nine equivalent Al(1)S6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 58-62°. W(1) is bonded to six equivalent S(1) atoms to form WS6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mg(1)S4 tetrahedra and edges with six equivalent Al(1)S6 octahedra. Al(1) is bonded to two equivalent S(2) and four equivalent S(1) atoms to form AlS6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mg(1)S4 tetrahedra, edges with two equivalent W(1)S6 octahedra, and edges with four equivalent Al(1)S6 octahedra. There are two inequivalent S sites. In the first S site, S(1) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to one Mg(1), one W(1), and two equivalent Al(1) atoms. In the second S site, S(2) is bonded to one Mg(1) and three equivalent Al(1) atoms to form distorted corner-sharing SMgAl3 trigonal pyramids.
Mg2WAl3S8 is Hausmannite-derived structured and crystallizes in the trigonal R-3m space group. Mg(1) is bonded to one S(2) and three equivalent S(1) atoms to form MgS4 tetrahedra that share corners with three equivalent W(1)S6 octahedra and corners with nine equivalent Al(1)S6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 58-62°. The Mg(1)-S(2) bond length is 2.45 Å. All Mg(1)-S(1) bond lengths are 2.45 Å. W(1) is bonded to six equivalent S(1) atoms to form WS6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mg(1)S4 tetrahedra and edges with six equivalent Al(1)S6 octahedra. All W(1)-S(1) bond lengths are 2.49 Å. Al(1) is bonded to two equivalent S(2) and four equivalent S(1) atoms to form AlS6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mg(1)S4 tetrahedra, edges with two equivalent W(1)S6 octahedra, and edges with four equivalent Al(1)S6 octahedra. Both Al(1)-S(2) bond lengths are 2.46 Å. All Al(1)-S(1) bond lengths are 2.44 Å. There are two inequivalent S sites. In the first S site, S(1) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to one Mg(1), one W(1), and two equivalent Al(1) atoms. In the second S site, S(2) is bonded to one Mg(1) and three equivalent Al(1) atoms to form distorted corner-sharing SMgAl3 trigonal pyramids.