RbY2Cl7 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 Y sites. In the first Y site, Y(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 YCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. In the second Y site, Y(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 YCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Y2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Y2 tetrahedra.
RbY2Cl7 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 3.61 Å. Both Rb(1)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 3.47 Å. Both Rb(1)-Cl(4) bond lengths are 3.59 Å. There are two shorter (3.48 Å) and two longer (3.60 Å) Rb(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths. There are two inequivalent Y sites. In the first Y site, Y(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 YCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Y(1)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.78 Å. Both Y(1)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.70 Å. Both Y(1)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.71 Å. Both Y(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.70 Å. In the second Y site, Y(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 YCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Y(2)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.73 Å. Both Y(2)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.72 Å. Both Y(2)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.68 Å. Both Y(2)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.73 Å. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Y2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Y(1), and one Y(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Y2 tetrahedra.