MgZn4(SnO2)4 crystallizes in the triclinic P1 space group. Mg(1) is bonded to one O(7), one O(8), and two equivalent O(6) atoms to form distorted MgO4 tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one Zn(2)O4 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent Mg(1)O4 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent Zn(4)O4 tetrahedra. There are four inequivalent Zn sites. In the first Zn site, Zn(1) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to one O(4), one O(6), and two equivalent O(7) atoms. In the second Zn site, Zn(2) is bonded to one O(1), one O(8), and two equivalent O(5) atoms to form ZnO4 tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one Mg(1)O4 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(2)O4 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent Zn(4)O4 tetrahedra. In the third Zn site, Zn(3) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to two equivalent O(3) and two equivalent O(8) atoms. In the fourth Zn site, Zn(4) is bonded to one O(5), one O(6), and two equivalent O(2) atoms to form ZnO4 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent Mg(1)O4 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(2)O4 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent Zn(4)O4 tetrahedra. There are four inequivalent Sn sites. In the first Sn site, Sn(1) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one O(5) and two equivalent O(4) atoms. In the second Sn site, Sn(2) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one O(2) and one O(3) atom. In the third Sn site, Sn(3) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one O(2) and one O(3) atom. In the fourth Sn site, Sn(4) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one O(7) and two equivalent O(1) atoms. There are eight inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O(1) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one Zn(2) and two equivalent Sn(4) atoms. In the second O site, O(2) is bonded to two equivalent Zn(4), one Sn(2), and one Sn(3) atom to form OZn2Sn2 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent O(2)Zn2Sn2 tetrahedra and corners with two equivalent O(5)Zn3Sn tetrahedra. In the third O site, O(3) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Zn(3), one Sn(2), and one Sn(3) atom. In the fourth O site, O(4) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Zn(1) and two equivalent Sn(1) atoms. In the fifth O site, O(5) is bonded to one Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(2), and one Sn(1) atom to form OZn3Sn tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent O(8)MgZn3 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent O(2)Zn2Sn2 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent O(5)Zn3Sn tetrahedra. In the sixth O site, O(6) is bonded in a distorted see-saw-like geometry to two equivalent Mg(1), one Zn(1), and one Zn(4) atom. In the seventh O site, O(7) is bonded to one Mg(1), two equivalent Zn(1), and one Sn(4) atom to form distorted OMgZn2Sn tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one O(8)MgZn3 tetrahedra and corners with two equivalent O(7)MgZn2Sn tetrahedra. In the eighth O site, O(8) is bonded to one Mg(1), one Zn(2), and two equivalent Zn(3) atoms to form OMgZn3 tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one O(7)MgZn2Sn tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent O(8)MgZn3 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent O(5)Zn3Sn tetrahedra.
MgZn4(SnO2)4 crystallizes in the triclinic P1 space group. Mg(1) is bonded to one O(7), one O(8), and two equivalent O(6) atoms to form distorted MgO4 tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one Zn(2)O4 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent Mg(1)O4 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent Zn(4)O4 tetrahedra. The Mg(1)-O(7) bond length is 2.00 Å. The Mg(1)-O(8) bond length is 1.97 Å. Both Mg(1)-O(6) bond lengths are 1.95 Å. There are four inequivalent Zn sites. In the first Zn site, Zn(1) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to one O(4), one O(6), and two equivalent O(7) atoms. The Zn(1)-O(4) bond length is 1.92 Å. The Zn(1)-O(6) bond length is 2.11 Å. Both Zn(1)-O(7) bond lengths are 2.03 Å. In the second Zn site, Zn(2) is bonded to one O(1), one O(8), and two equivalent O(5) atoms to form ZnO4 tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one Mg(1)O4 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(2)O4 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent Zn(4)O4 tetrahedra. The Zn(2)-O(1) bond length is 1.99 Å. The Zn(2)-O(8) bond length is 2.06 Å. Both Zn(2)-O(5) bond lengths are 2.05 Å. In the third Zn site, Zn(3) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to two equivalent O(3) and two equivalent O(8) atoms. There is one shorter (1.93 Å) and one longer (2.55 Å) Zn(3)-O(3) bond length. There is one shorter (1.93 Å) and one longer (2.16 Å) Zn(3)-O(8) bond length. In the fourth Zn site, Zn(4) is bonded to one O(5), one O(6), and two equivalent O(2) atoms to form ZnO4 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent Mg(1)O4 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(2)O4 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent Zn(4)O4 tetrahedra. The Zn(4)-O(5) bond length is 2.07 Å. The Zn(4)-O(6) bond length is 1.95 Å. Both Zn(4)-O(2) bond lengths are 2.03 Å. There are four inequivalent Sn sites. In the first Sn site, Sn(1) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one O(5) and two equivalent O(4) atoms. The Sn(1)-O(5) bond length is 2.21 Å. Both Sn(1)-O(4) bond lengths are 2.12 Å. In the second Sn site, Sn(2) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one O(2) and one O(3) atom. The Sn(2)-O(2) bond length is 2.24 Å. The Sn(2)-O(3) bond length is 2.16 Å. In the third Sn site, Sn(3) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one O(2) and one O(3) atom. The Sn(3)-O(2) bond length is 2.24 Å. The Sn(3)-O(3) bond length is 2.22 Å. In the fourth Sn site, Sn(4) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one O(7) and two equivalent O(1) atoms. The Sn(4)-O(7) bond length is 2.12 Å. Both Sn(4)-O(1) bond lengths are 2.15 Å. There are eight inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O(1) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one Zn(2) and two equivalent Sn(4) atoms. In the second O site, O(2) is bonded to two equivalent Zn(4), one Sn(2), and one Sn(3) atom to form OZn2Sn2 tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent O(2)Zn2Sn2 tetrahedra and corners with two equivalent O(5)Zn3Sn tetrahedra. In the third O site, O(3) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Zn(3), one Sn(2), and one Sn(3) atom. In the fourth O site, O(4) is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to one Zn(1) and two equivalent Sn(1) atoms. In the fifth O site, O(5) is bonded to one Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(2), and one Sn(1) atom to form OZn3Sn tetrahedra that share corners with two equivalent O(8)MgZn3 tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent O(2)Zn2Sn2 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent O(5)Zn3Sn tetrahedra. In the sixth O site, O(6) is bonded in a distorted see-saw-like geometry to two equivalent Mg(1), one Zn(1), and one Zn(4) atom. In the seventh O site, O(7) is bonded to one Mg(1), two equivalent Zn(1), and one Sn(4) atom to form distorted OMgZn2Sn tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one O(8)MgZn3 tetrahedra and corners with two equivalent O(7)MgZn2Sn tetrahedra. In the eighth O site, O(8) is bonded to one Mg(1), one Zn(2), and two equivalent Zn(3) atoms to form OMgZn3 tetrahedra that share  a cornercorner with one O(7)MgZn2Sn tetrahedra, corners with two equivalent O(8)MgZn3 tetrahedra, and corners with two equivalent O(5)Zn3Sn tetrahedra.