Redetermination of the borax structure from laboratory X-ray data at 145 K

THE TITLE COMPOUND, SODIUM TETRABORATE DECAHYDRATE (MINERAL NAME: borax), Na(2)[B(4)O(5)(OH)(4)]·8H(2)O, has been studied previously using X-ray [Morimoto (1956). Miner. J.2, 1-18] and neutron [Levy & Lisensky (1978). Acta Cryst. B34, 3502-3510] diffraction data. The structure contains tetra-borate anions [B(4)O(5)(OH)(4)](2-) with twofold rotation symmetry, which form hydrogen-bonded chains, and [Na(H(2)O)(6)] octa-hedra that form zigzag chains [Na(H(2)O)(4/2)(H(2)O)(2/1)]. The O-H bond distances obtained from the present redetermination at 145 K are shorter than those in the neutron study by an average of 0.127 (19) Å.