ScMo3ZnO8 crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3mc space group. Sc(1) is bonded to three equivalent O(1) and three equivalent O(2) atoms to form ScO6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(1)O4 tetrahedra, and edges with three equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 50°. Mo(1) is bonded to one O(3), one O(4), two equivalent O(1), and two equivalent O(2) atoms to form MoO6 octahedra that share corners with two equivalent Sc(1)O6 octahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(1)O4 tetrahedra,  an edgeedge with one Sc(1)O6 octahedra, and edges with four equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 50°. Zn(1) is bonded to one O(4) and three equivalent O(2) atoms to form ZnO4 tetrahedra that share corners with three equivalent Sc(1)O6 octahedra and corners with nine equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 54-64°. There are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O(1) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Sc(1) and two equivalent Mo(1) atoms. In the second O site, O(2) is bonded to one Sc(1), two equivalent Mo(1), and one Zn(1) atom to form distorted OScZnMo2 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent O(2)ScZnMo2 tetrahedra,  a cornercorner with one O(4)ZnMo3 trigonal pyramid, edges with two equivalent O(2)ScZnMo2 tetrahedra, and  an edgeedge with one O(4)ZnMo3 trigonal pyramid. In the third O site, O(3) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to three equivalent Mo(1) atoms. In the fourth O site, O(4) is bonded to three equivalent Mo(1) and one Zn(1) atom to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing OZnMo3 trigonal pyramids.
ScMo3ZnO8 crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3mc space group. Sc(1) is bonded to three equivalent O(1) and three equivalent O(2) atoms to form ScO6 octahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(1)O4 tetrahedra, and edges with three equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 50°. All Sc(1)-O(1) bond lengths are 2.11 Å. All Sc(1)-O(2) bond lengths are 2.21 Å. Mo(1) is bonded to one O(3), one O(4), two equivalent O(1), and two equivalent O(2) atoms to form MoO6 octahedra that share corners with two equivalent Sc(1)O6 octahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(1)O4 tetrahedra,  an edgeedge with one Sc(1)O6 octahedra, and edges with four equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 50°. The Mo(1)-O(3) bond length is 2.09 Å. The Mo(1)-O(4) bond length is 2.16 Å. Both Mo(1)-O(1) bond lengths are 2.06 Å. Both Mo(1)-O(2) bond lengths are 2.15 Å. Zn(1) is bonded to one O(4) and three equivalent O(2) atoms to form ZnO4 tetrahedra that share corners with three equivalent Sc(1)O6 octahedra and corners with nine equivalent Mo(1)O6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 54-64°. The Zn(1)-O(4) bond length is 2.01 Å. All Zn(1)-O(2) bond lengths are 2.06 Å. There are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O(1) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Sc(1) and two equivalent Mo(1) atoms. In the second O site, O(2) is bonded to one Sc(1), two equivalent Mo(1), and one Zn(1) atom to form distorted OScZnMo2 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent O(2)ScZnMo2 tetrahedra,  a cornercorner with one O(4)ZnMo3 trigonal pyramid, edges with two equivalent O(2)ScZnMo2 tetrahedra, and  an edgeedge with one O(4)ZnMo3 trigonal pyramid. In the third O site, O(3) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to three equivalent Mo(1) atoms. In the fourth O site, O(4) is bonded to three equivalent Mo(1) and one Zn(1) atom to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing OZnMo3 trigonal pyramids.