Ce3CdAlS7 crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3 space group. Ce(1) is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to one S(3), three equivalent S(2), and four equivalent S(1) atoms. Cd(1) is bonded to six equivalent S(1) atoms to form face-sharing CdS6 octahedra. Al(1) is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to one S(3) and three equivalent S(2) atoms. There are three inequivalent S sites. In the first S site, S(1) is bonded to four equivalent Ce(1) and two equivalent Cd(1) atoms to form distorted SCe4Cd2 pentagonal pyramids that share corners with four equivalent S(1)Ce4Cd2 pentagonal pyramids, corners with four equivalent S(3)Ce3Al tetrahedra, and faces with six equivalent S(1)Ce4Cd2 pentagonal pyramids. In the second S site, S(2) is bonded in a distorted rectangular see-saw-like geometry to three equivalent Ce(1) and one Al(1) atom. In the third S site, S(3) is bonded to three equivalent Ce(1) and one Al(1) atom to form corner-sharing SCe3Al tetrahedra.
Ce3CdAlS7 crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3 space group. Ce(1) is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to one S(3), three equivalent S(2), and four equivalent S(1) atoms. The Ce(1)-S(3) bond length is 2.94 Å. There are a spread of Ce(1)-S(2) bond distances ranging from 2.84-2.98 Å. There are a spread of Ce(1)-S(1) bond distances ranging from 2.97-3.35 Å. Cd(1) is bonded to six equivalent S(1) atoms to form face-sharing CdS6 octahedra. There are three shorter (2.69 Å) and three longer (2.77 Å) Cd(1)-S(1) bond lengths. Al(1) is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to one S(3) and three equivalent S(2) atoms. The Al(1)-S(3) bond length is 2.24 Å. All Al(1)-S(2) bond lengths are 2.27 Å. There are three inequivalent S sites. In the first S site, S(1) is bonded to four equivalent Ce(1) and two equivalent Cd(1) atoms to form distorted SCe4Cd2 pentagonal pyramids that share corners with four equivalent S(1)Ce4Cd2 pentagonal pyramids, corners with four equivalent S(3)Ce3Al tetrahedra, and faces with six equivalent S(1)Ce4Cd2 pentagonal pyramids. In the second S site, S(2) is bonded in a distorted rectangular see-saw-like geometry to three equivalent Ce(1) and one Al(1) atom. In the third S site, S(3) is bonded to three equivalent Ce(1) and one Al(1) atom to form corner-sharing SCe3Al tetrahedra.