MgAl2 is beta-derived structured and crystallizes in the trigonal P-3m1 space group. Mg(1) is bonded to six equivalent Mg(1) and six equivalent Al(1) atoms to form MgMg6Al6 cuboctahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, edges with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, edges with eighteen equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, faces with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, and faces with twelve equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra. Al(1) is bonded to three equivalent Mg(1) and nine equivalent Al(1) atoms to form AlMg3Al9 cuboctahedra that share corners with three equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, corners with nine equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, edges with nine equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, edges with fifteen equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, faces with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, and faces with twelve equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra.
MgAl2 is beta-derived structured and crystallizes in the trigonal P-3m1 space group. Mg(1) is bonded to six equivalent Mg(1) and six equivalent Al(1) atoms to form MgMg6Al6 cuboctahedra that share corners with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, edges with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, edges with eighteen equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, faces with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, and faces with twelve equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra. All Mg(1)-Mg(1) bond lengths are 2.93 Å. All Mg(1)-Al(1) bond lengths are 3.00 Å. Al(1) is bonded to three equivalent Mg(1) and nine equivalent Al(1) atoms to form AlMg3Al9 cuboctahedra that share corners with three equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, corners with nine equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, edges with nine equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, edges with fifteen equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra, faces with six equivalent Mg(1)Mg6Al6 cuboctahedra, and faces with twelve equivalent Al(1)Mg3Al9 cuboctahedra. There are three shorter (2.82 Å) and six longer (2.93 Å) Al(1)-Al(1) bond lengths.