Re-investigation and correct symmetry of Ca(3)CoAl(4)O(10)

A re-investigation of the crystal structure of tricalcium cobalt(II) tetra­aluminate, Ca(3)CoAl(4)O(10), using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, revealed ortho­rhom­bic (Pbcm) symmetry. The present contribution corrects the results of a previous X-ray powder diffraction study [Vazquez et al. (2002 ▸). J. Solid State Chem. 166, 191–196] where this phase has been described in an unnecessarily low space-group symmetry (Pbc2(1)). The compound belongs to the group of tetra­hedral framework structures. The distribution of the aluminium and cobalt ions among the centres of the four different tetra­hedra within the asymmetric unit has been studied in detail. Charge compensation is achieved by the incorporation of two symmetrically independent calcium ions located in voids of the tetra­hedral framework. Ca(3)CoAl(4)O(10) is isotypic with Ca(3)MgAl(4)O(10).