Mean bond‐length variations in crystals for ions bonded to oxygen

Variations in mean bond length are examined in oxide and oxysalt crystals for 55 cation configurations bonded to O2−. Stepwise multiple regression analysis shows that mean bond length is correlated to bond‐length distortion in 42 ion configurations at the 95% confidence level, with a mean coefficient of determination (⟨R2⟩) of 0.35. Previously published correlations between mean bond length and mean coordination number of the bonded anions are found not to be of general applicability to inorganic oxide and oxysalt structures. For two of 11 ions tested for the 95% confidence level, mean bond lengths predicted using a fixed radius for O2− are significantly more accurate as those predicted using an O2− radius dependent on coordination number, and are statistically identical otherwise. As a result, the currently accepted ionic radii for O2− in different coordinations are not justified by experimental data. Previously reported correlation between mean bond length and the mean electronegativity of the cations bonded to the oxygen atoms of the coordination polyhedron is shown to be statistically insignificant; similar results are obtained with regard to ionization energy. It is shown that a priori bond lengths calculated for many ion configurations in a single structure‐type leads to a high correlation between a priori and observed mean bond lengths, but a priori bond lengths calculated for a single ion configuration in many different structure‐types leads to negligible correlation between a priori and observed mean bond lengths. This indicates that structure type has a major effect on mean bond length, the magnitude of which goes beyond that of the other variables analyzed here. Variations in mean bond length are examined in oxide and oxysalt crystals for 55 cation configurations bonded to O2−. Bond‐length distortion is confirmed as a statistically significant causal factor of mean bond‐length variation. The assignment of a coordination‐based radius to O2− is found not to be supported by experimental data.