CaYb2(GeO3)4 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmme space group. Ca(1) is bonded to two equivalent O(3) and four equivalent O(1) atoms to form CaO6 octahedra that share corners with eight equivalent Ge(1)O4 tetrahedra. There are two inequivalent Yb sites. In the first Yb site, Yb(1) is bonded to two equivalent O(4) and four equivalent O(2) atoms to form YbO6 octahedra that share corners with eight equivalent Ge(1)O4 tetrahedra. In the second Yb site, Yb(2) is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to four equivalent O(1) and four equivalent O(2) atoms. Ge(1) is bonded to one O(1), one O(2), one O(3), and one O(4) atom to form GeO4 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent Ca(1)O6 octahedra, corners with two equivalent Yb(1)O6 octahedra, and corners with two equivalent Ge(1)O4 tetrahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 52-69°. There are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O(3) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Ca(1) and two equivalent Ge(1) atoms. In the second O site, O(4) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Yb(1) and two equivalent Ge(1) atoms. In the third O site, O(1) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Ca(1), one Yb(2), and one Ge(1) atom. In the fourth O site, O(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Yb(1), one Yb(2), and one Ge(1) atom.
CaYb2(GeO3)4 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmme space group. Ca(1) is bonded to two equivalent O(3) and four equivalent O(1) atoms to form CaO6 octahedra that share corners with eight equivalent Ge(1)O4 tetrahedra. Both Ca(1)-O(3) bond lengths are 2.54 Å. All Ca(1)-O(1) bond lengths are 2.29 Å. There are two inequivalent Yb sites. In the first Yb site, Yb(1) is bonded to two equivalent O(4) and four equivalent O(2) atoms to form YbO6 octahedra that share corners with eight equivalent Ge(1)O4 tetrahedra. Both Yb(1)-O(4) bond lengths are 2.51 Å. All Yb(1)-O(2) bond lengths are 2.27 Å. In the second Yb site, Yb(2) is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to four equivalent O(1) and four equivalent O(2) atoms. All Yb(2)-O(1) bond lengths are 2.40 Å. All Yb(2)-O(2) bond lengths are 2.41 Å. Ge(1) is bonded to one O(1), one O(2), one O(3), and one O(4) atom to form GeO4 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent Ca(1)O6 octahedra, corners with two equivalent Yb(1)O6 octahedra, and corners with two equivalent Ge(1)O4 tetrahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles range from 52-69°. The Ge(1)-O(1) bond length is 1.74 Å. The Ge(1)-O(2) bond length is 1.75 Å. The Ge(1)-O(3) bond length is 1.82 Å. The Ge(1)-O(4) bond length is 1.82 Å. There are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O(3) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Ca(1) and two equivalent Ge(1) atoms. In the second O site, O(4) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Yb(1) and two equivalent Ge(1) atoms. In the third O site, O(1) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Ca(1), one Yb(2), and one Ge(1) atom. In the fourth O site, O(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Yb(1), one Yb(2), and one Ge(1) atom.