K3Ir2O6 and K16.3Ir8O30, Low-Dimensional Iridates with Infinite IrO6 Chains

A previously unreported 1D iridate, K3Ir2O6, has been grown by a flux method in O2-rich environment and its crystal structure determined via single crystal structural analysis. It exhibits straight chains of face-sharing [IrO6] octahedra, which are arranged along the crystallographic c axis, separated by nonmagnetic K ions. No magnetic transitions are observed during measured range, and the material is electrically insulating. Potentially interesting electronic behavior for K3Ir2O6 is supported by electronic structure calculations. A structurally related material, K16.3Ir8O30, which displays similar fundamental geometric units but in a different spatial arrangement – zigzag chains based on edge and face sharing [IrO6] octahedra, is also reported. Both materials are of interest for probing the properties of a 1D system with strong spin orbit coupling.