Crystal Structure of α-Zn₂V₂O₇

α-Zn₂V₂O₇ is monoclinic with lattice parameters a = 7.429(5), b = 8.340(3), c = 10.098(3) Å, β = 111.37(5)°, Z = 4 and space group C2/c. The structure was refined using a full matrix least-squares with 1034 reflections measured with a quarter-circle General Electric automatic X-ray diffractometer to a final R value of 0.066. The anion consists of a pair of VO₄ tetrahedra sharing an oxygen atom which lies on a two-fold axis. The bridging V—O bond length is 1.775(4) Å while the three independent terminal ones are 1.728(4), 1.704(7), and 1.658(8) Å long. These bond lengths are consistent with the charge character around the individual oxygen atoms. The Zn ions are coordinated to five oxygen atoms with Zn—O bonds ranging from 1.973 to 2.088°Å. The structure is similar to that of α-CU₂P₂O₇ and transforms to the thortvietite structure at about 615 °C.