RbSm2Cl7 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 Sm sites. In the first Sm site, Sm(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 SmCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. In the second Sm site, Sm(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 SmCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing ClRb2Sm2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing ClRb2Sm2 tetrahedra.
RbSm2Cl7 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 3.50 Å. Both Rb(1)-Cl(4) bond lengths are 3.64 Å. There are two shorter (3.51 Å) and two longer (3.66 Å) Rb(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths. There are two inequivalent Sm sites. In the first Sm site, Sm(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 SmCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Sm(1)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.84 Å. Both Sm(1)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.76 Å. Both Sm(1)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.76 Å. Both Sm(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.76 Å. In the second Sm site, Sm(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 SmCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Sm(2)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.78 Å. Both Sm(2)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.78 Å. Both Sm(2)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.74 Å. Both Sm(2)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.77 Å. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing ClRb2Sm2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Sm(1), and one Sm(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted corner and edge-sharing ClRb2Sm2 tetrahedra.