CsLa(PO3)4

The title compound, caesium lanthanum tetrametaphosphate, CsLa(PO3)4, was grown using the flux method and its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. This compound is isostructural with CsNd(PO3)4. The structure is built up from infinite helical chains, (PO3)n, which are connected by isolated LaO8 dodecahedra and irregularly shaped Cs polyhedra. These chains are formed by corner-sharing of PO4 tetrahedra and run along the b axis.