Substitution of Au or Hg into BaTI2 and Baln2. New ternary examples of smaller CeCu2-type intermetallic phases

Three new compounds in the ternary Ba-(An,Hg)-(In,TI) systems are reported that are isostructural with orthorhombic CeCu2, a lower-symmetry relative of the CaIn2 type. The relativistic effects for the heavier Au and Hg are responsible for decreases in lattice parameters and bond lengths from BaIn2 to those in isostructural BaAu(sub 0.36)(4)In(sub 1.64)(4) and BaHg(sub 0.82)(2)In(sub 1.08)(2).