Abstract
The crystal structure of dehydrated $Rb^+$-exchanged zeolite X, stoichiometry $Rb_{71}Na_{21}-X\; (Rb_{71}Na_{21}Si_{100}Al_{92}O_{384})$ per unit cell, has been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction date gathered by counter methods. The structure was solved and refined in the cubic space group Fd3, a=25.007(3) Å at 21(1) ℃. The crystal was prepared by ion exchange in a flowing stream using a 0.05 M aqueous RbOH solution (pH=12.7). The crystal was then dehydrated at 360 ℃ and $2{\times}10^{-6}$ torr for two days. The structure was refined to the final error indices, $R_1=0.047$ and $R_2=0.040$ with 239 reflections for which I> 3σ(I). In this structure, 71 $Rb^+$ ions per unit cell are found at six different crystallographic sites and 21 $Na^+$ ions per unit cell are found at two different crystallographic sites. Four and a half $Rb^+$ ions are located at site Ⅰ, the center of the hexagonal prism. Nine $Rb^+$ ions are found at site Ⅰ' in the sodalite cavity (Rb-O=2.910(15) Å and O-Rb-O=78.1(4)°). Eighteen $Rb^+$ ions are found at site Ⅱ in the supercage (Rb-O=2.789(9) Å and O-Rb-O=92.1(4)°). Two and a half $Rb^+$ ions, which lie at site Ⅱ', are recessed ca. 2.07 Å into the sodalite cavity from their three O(2) oxygen planes (Rb-O=3.105(37) Å and O-Rb-O=80.6(5)°). Thirty-two $Rb^+$ ions are found at site Ⅲ deep in the supercage (Rb-O=2.918(12) Å and O-Rb-O=71.9(4)°), and five $Rb^+$ ions are found at site Ⅲ'. Seven $Na^+$ ions also lie at site Ⅰ. Fourteen $Na^+$ ions are found at site Ⅱ in the supercage (Na-O=2.350(19) Å and O-Na-O=117.5(6)°).