ScTaN is MAX Phase-like structured and crystallizes in the trigonal P-3m1 space group. There are two inequivalent Sc sites. In the first Sc site, Sc(1) is bonded to six equivalent N(1) atoms to form edge-sharing ScN6 octahedra. In the second Sc site, Sc(2) is bonded to six equivalent Sc(2) and six equivalent Ta(1) atoms to form ScSc6Ta6 cuboctahedra that share corners with six equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra, edges with six equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, edges with six equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra, and faces with six equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 19°. Ta(1) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Sc(2) and three equivalent N(1) atoms. N(1) is bonded to three equivalent Sc(1) and three equivalent Ta(1) atoms to form NSc3Ta3 octahedra that share corners with three equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, corners with three equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra, edges with three equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, and edges with nine equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra are not tilted.
ScTaN is MAX Phase-like structured and crystallizes in the trigonal P-3m1 space group. There are two inequivalent Sc sites. In the first Sc site, Sc(1) is bonded to six equivalent N(1) atoms to form edge-sharing ScN6 octahedra. All Sc(1)-N(1) bond lengths are 2.23 Å. In the second Sc site, Sc(2) is bonded to six equivalent Sc(2) and six equivalent Ta(1) atoms to form ScSc6Ta6 cuboctahedra that share corners with six equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra, edges with six equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, edges with six equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra, and faces with six equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 19°. All Sc(2)-Sc(2) bond lengths are 3.09 Å. All Sc(2)-Ta(1) bond lengths are 3.10 Å. Ta(1) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Sc(2) and three equivalent N(1) atoms. All Ta(1)-N(1) bond lengths are 2.20 Å. N(1) is bonded to three equivalent Sc(1) and three equivalent Ta(1) atoms to form NSc3Ta3 octahedra that share corners with three equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, corners with three equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra, edges with three equivalent Sc(2)Sc6Ta6 cuboctahedra, and edges with nine equivalent N(1)Sc3Ta3 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra are not tilted.