LiHo(PO(3))(4)

Lithium holmium(III) polyphosphate(V), LiHo(PO(3))(4), belongs to the type I of polyphosphates with general formula ALn(PO(3))(4), where A is a monovalent cation and Ln is a trivalent rare earth cation. In the crystal structure, the polyphosphate chains spread along the b-axis direction, with a repeat period of four tetra­hedra and 2(1) inter­nal symmetry. The Li and Ho atoms are both located on twofold rotation axes and are surrounded by four and eight O atoms, leading to a distorted tetra­hedral and dodeca­hedral coordination, respectively. The HoO(8) polyhedra are isolated from each other, the closest Ho⋯Ho distance being 5.570 (1) Å.