Penta-terbium lithium tris-tannide, Tb(5)LiSn(3).

The new ternary phase penta-terbium lithium tris-tannide, Tb(5)LiSn(3), crystallizes in the hexa-gonal Hf(5)CuSn(3) structure type, which is a 'filled' version of the binary RE(5)Sn(3) phases (Mn(5)Si(3)-type) (RE is rare earth). The asymmetric unit contains two Tb sites (site symmetries 3.2 and m2m), one Li site (site symmetry [Formula: see text].m) and one Sn site (site symmetry m2m). The 14-vertex Frank-Kasper polyhedra are typical for Li and Tb atoms. The environment of the Sn atom is a pseudo-Frank-Kasper polyhedron with a coordination number of 13 for the tin atom. One of the Tb atoms is enclosed in a 17-vertex polyhedron. The metallic type of bonding was indicated by an analysis of the inter-atomic distances.