Structure and phase transition of the Se-rich variety of antimonpearceite, [(Ag,Cu)6(Sb,As)2(S,Se)7][Ag9Cu(S,Se)2Se2].

The crystal structure of a Se-rich antimonpearceite has been solved and refined by means of X-ray diffraction data collected at temperatures above (room temperature) and below (120 K) an ionic conductivity-induced phase transition. Both structure arrangements consist of the stacking of [(Ag,Cu)(6)(Sb,As)(2)(S,Se)(7)](2-) A (A') and [Ag(9)Cu(S,Se)(2)Se(2)](2+) B (B') module layers in which Sb forms isolated SbS(3) pyramids typically occurring in sulfosalts; copper links two S atoms in a linear coordination, and silver occupies sites with coordination ranging from quasi-linear to almost tetrahedral. In the ionic-conducting form, at room temperature, the silver d(10) ions are found in the B (B') module layer along two-dimensional diffusion paths and their electron densities described by means of a combination of a Gram-Charlier development of the atomic displacement factors and a split-atom model. The structure resembles that of pearceite, except for the presence of both specific (Se) and mixed (S, Se) sites. In the low-temperature ;ordered' phase at 120 K the silver d(10) ions of the B (B') module layer are located in well defined sites with mixed S-Se coordination ranging from quasi-linear to almost tetrahedral. The structure is then similar to that of 222-pearceite but with major differences, specifically its cell metric, symmetry and local arrangement in the B (B') module layer.