Sm5Ge3C crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3/mcm space group. There are two inequivalent Sm sites. In the first Sm site, Sm(1) is bonded in a 6-coordinate geometry to six equivalent Ge(1) atoms. In the second Sm site, Sm(2) is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to five equivalent Ge(1) and two equivalent C(1) atoms. Ge(1) is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Sm(1) and five equivalent Sm(2) atoms. C(1) is bonded to six equivalent Sm(2) atoms to form face-sharing CSm6 octahedra.
Sm5Ge3C crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3/mcm space group. There are two inequivalent Sm sites. In the first Sm site, Sm(1) is bonded in a 6-coordinate geometry to six equivalent Ge(1) atoms. All Sm(1)-Ge(1) bond lengths are 3.13 Å. In the second Sm site, Sm(2) is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to five equivalent Ge(1) and two equivalent C(1) atoms. There are a spread of Sm(2)-Ge(1) bond distances ranging from 3.08-3.69 Å. Both Sm(2)-C(1) bond lengths are 2.56 Å. Ge(1) is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to four equivalent Sm(1) and five equivalent Sm(2) atoms. C(1) is bonded to six equivalent Sm(2) atoms to form face-sharing CSm6 octahedra.