RbTb2Cl7 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 Tb sites. In the first Tb site, Tb(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 edge and face-sharing TbCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. In the second Tb site, Tb(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 edge and face-sharing TbCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Tb2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Tb2 tetrahedra.
RbTb2Cl7 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 3.47 Å. Both Rb(1)-Cl(4) bond lengths are 3.59 Å. There are two shorter (3.49 Å) and two longer (3.62 Å) Rb(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths. There are two inequivalent Tb sites. In the first Tb site, Tb(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 edge and face-sharing TbCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Tb(1)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.79 Å. Both Tb(1)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.71 Å. Both Tb(1)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.72 Å. Both Tb(1)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.71 Å. In the second Tb site, Tb(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 edge and face-sharing TbCl7 pentagonal bipyramids. The Tb(2)-Cl(4) bond length is 2.73 Å. Both Tb(2)-Cl(1) bond lengths are 2.72 Å. Both Tb(2)-Cl(2) bond lengths are 2.69 Å. Both Tb(2)-Cl(3) bond lengths are 2.73 Å. There are four inequivalent Cl sites. In the first Cl site, Cl(4) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Tb2 trigonal pyramids. In the second Cl site, Cl(1) is bonded in a distorted L-shaped geometry to one Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom. In the third Cl site, Cl(2) is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to one Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom. In the fourth Cl site, Cl(3) is bonded to two equivalent Rb(1), one Tb(1), and one Tb(2) atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing ClRb2Tb2 tetrahedra.