Structure and Magnetism in CrTa2O6: A Trirutile Oxide Based on Cr2+

CrTa2O6, a rare example of an oxide containing Cr2+, was prepared by solid state reaction from a mixture of Cr2O3, Ta2O5, and Ta in a sealed silica tube at 1050°C. It exhibits a slightly distorted trirutile structure described inP21/nwitha=4.738(1),b=4.7421(6),c=9.2972(9), andβ=90°55′(1) as determined from Guinier–Hagg data and CuKα1radiation, in excellent agreement with previous reports. The crystal structure was refined from powder neutron …