RbGd2Cl7 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pnma space group. Rb(1) is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Cl(1), two equivalent Cl(2), two equivalent Cl(4), and four equivalent Cl(3) atoms. There are two inequivalent Gd sites. In the first Gd site, Gd(1) is bonded to one Cl(4), two equivalent Cl(1), two equivalent Cl(2), and two equivalent Cl(3) atoms to form a mixture of distorted face and edge-sharing GdCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. In the second Gd site, Gd(2) is bonded to one Cl(4), two equivalent Cl(1), two equivalent Cl(2), and two equivalent Cl(3) atoms to form a mixture of distorted face and edge-sharing GdCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Gd2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Gd2 tetrahedra.
RbGd2Cl7 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pnma space group. Rb(1) is bonded in a 10-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Cl(1), two equivalent Cl(2), two equivalent Cl(4), and four equivalent Cl(3) atoms. Both Rb(1)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 3.63 Å. Both Rb(1)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 3.49 Å. Both Rb(1)-Cl(4) bond lengths are 3.61 Å. There are two shorter (3.51 Å) and two longer (3.63 Å) Rb(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths. There are two inequivalent Gd sites. In the first Gd site, Gd(1) is bonded to one Cl(4), two equivalent Cl(1), two equivalent Cl(2), and two equivalent Cl(3) atoms to form a mixture of distorted face and edge-sharing GdCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Gd(1)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.81 Å. Both Gd(1)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.73 Å. Both Gd(1)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.74 Å. Both Gd(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.73 Å. In the second Gd site, Gd(2) is bonded to one Cl(4), two equivalent Cl(1), two equivalent Cl(2), and two equivalent Cl(3) atoms to form a mixture of distorted face and edge-sharing GdCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Gd(2)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.76 Å. Both Gd(2)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.75 Å. Both Gd(2)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.71 Å. Both Gd(2)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.75 Å. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Gd2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Gd(1), and one Gd(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Gd2 tetrahedra.