CeCuZnP2 crystallizes in the trigonal P3m1 space group. Ce(1) is bonded to three equivalent P(1) and three equivalent P(2) atoms to form distorted CeP6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra, edges with six equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, edges with three equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra, and edges with three equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra. Cu(1) is bonded to one P(1) and three equivalent P(2) atoms to form distorted CuP4 tetrahedra that share corners with six equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, corners with six equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, and edges with three equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 20-52°. Zn(1) is bonded to one P(2) and three equivalent P(1) atoms to form distorted ZnP4 tetrahedra that share corners with six equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, and edges with three equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 20-54°. There are two inequivalent P sites. In the first P site, P(1) is bonded to three equivalent Ce(1), one Cu(1), and three equivalent Zn(1) atoms to form distorted PCe3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids that share corners with three equivalent P(2)Ce3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids, edges with six equivalent P(1)Ce3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids, and edges with six equivalent P(2)Ce3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids. In the second P site, P(2) is bonded to three equivalent Ce(1), three equivalent Cu(1), and one Zn(1) atom to form distorted PCe3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids that share corners with three equivalent P(1)Ce3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids, edges with six equivalent P(1)Ce3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids, and edges with six equivalent P(2)Ce3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids.
CeCuZnP2 crystallizes in the trigonal P3m1 space group. Ce(1) is bonded to three equivalent P(1) and three equivalent P(2) atoms to form distorted CeP6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra, edges with six equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, edges with three equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra, and edges with three equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra. All Ce(1)-P(1) bond lengths are 2.93 Å. All Ce(1)-P(2) bond lengths are 2.86 Å. Cu(1) is bonded to one P(1) and three equivalent P(2) atoms to form distorted CuP4 tetrahedra that share corners with six equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, corners with six equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, and edges with three equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 20-52°. The Cu(1)-P(1) bond length is 2.51 Å. All Cu(1)-P(2) bond lengths are 2.40 Å. Zn(1) is bonded to one P(2) and three equivalent P(1) atoms to form distorted ZnP4 tetrahedra that share corners with six equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(1)P4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent Ce(1)P6 octahedra, and edges with three equivalent Cu(1)P4 tetrahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 20-54°. The Zn(1)-P(2) bond length is 2.42 Å. All Zn(1)-P(1) bond lengths are 2.43 Å. There are two inequivalent P sites. In the first P site, P(1) is bonded to three equivalent Ce(1), one Cu(1), and three equivalent Zn(1) atoms to form distorted PCe3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids that share corners with three equivalent P(2)Ce3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids, edges with six equivalent P(1)Ce3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids, and edges with six equivalent P(2)Ce3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids. In the second P site, P(2) is bonded to three equivalent Ce(1), three equivalent Cu(1), and one Zn(1) atom to form distorted PCe3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids that share corners with three equivalent P(1)Ce3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids, edges with six equivalent P(1)Ce3Zn3Cu pentagonal bipyramids, and edges with six equivalent P(2)Ce3ZnCu3 pentagonal bipyramids.