Isostructural
Encyclopedia
The term isostructural is used for chemical compound
s that have similar chemical structure
s, and also with the meaning of isomorphous when used in relation to crystal structure
s. Examples include:
Many minerals are isostructural when they differ only in the nature of a cation.
Compounds which are isoelectronic usually have similar chemical structures. For example, methane
, CH4, and the ammonium
ion, NH4+, are isoelectric and are isostructural
as both have a tetrahedral structure. The C-H and N-H bond lengths are different and crystal structures are completely different because the ammonium ion only occurs in salts.
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
s that have similar chemical structure
Chemical structure
A chemical structure includes molecular geometry, electronic structure and crystal structure of molecules. Molecular geometry refers to the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule and the chemical bonds that hold the atoms together. Molecular geometry can range from the very simple, such as...
s, and also with the meaning of isomorphous when used in relation to crystal structure
Isomorphism (crystallography)
In crystallography crystals are described as isomorphous if they are closely similar in shape. Historically crystal shape was defined by measuring the angles between crystal faces with a goniometer...
s. Examples include:
- I-Gold(I) bromideGold(I) bromideGold bromide can be formed by synthesis from the elements or partial decomposition of gold bromide by careful control of temperatures and pressures. It occurs in two modifications. One is isostructural with gold chloride and has a body centered tetragonal unit cell with a=6.734A and c=8.674A and...
is isostructural with gold(I) chloride - BorazineBorazineBorazine is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula 33. In this cyclic compound, the three BH units and three NH units alternate. The compound is isoelectronic and isostructural with benzene...
is isostructural with benzeneBenzeneBenzene is an organic chemical compound. It is composed of 6 carbon atoms in a ring, with 1 hydrogen atom attached to each carbon atom, with the molecular formula C6H6.... - Indium(I) bromideIndium(I) bromideIndium bromide is a chemical compound of indium and bromine. It is a red crystalline compound that is isostructural with β-TlI and has a distorted rock salt structure. Indium bromide is generally made from the elements, heating indium metal with InBr3. It has been used in the sulfur lamp...
is isostructural with β-thallium(I) iodideThallium(I) iodideThallium iodide is a chemical compound of formula TlI. It is unusual in being one of the few water-insoluble metal iodides, along with AgI, PbI2 and HgI2.-Chemistry:...
and has a distorted rock salt structure.
Many minerals are isostructural when they differ only in the nature of a cation.
Compounds which are isoelectronic usually have similar chemical structures. For example, methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
, CH4, and the ammonium
Ammonium
The ammonium cation is a positively charged polyatomic cation with the chemical formula NH. It is formed by the protonation of ammonia...
ion, NH4+, are isoelectric and are isostructural
as both have a tetrahedral structure. The C-H and N-H bond lengths are different and crystal structures are completely different because the ammonium ion only occurs in salts.