Synthesis and crystal structure of NaCuIn(PO(4))(2)

Single crystals of sodium copper(II) indium bis­[phosphate(V)], NaCuIn(PO(4))(2), were grown from the melt under atmospheric conditions. The title phosphate crystallizes in the space group P2(1)/n and is isotypic with KCuFe(PO(4))(2). In the crystal, two [CuO(5)] trigonal bipyramids share an edge to form a dimer [Cu(2)O(8)] that is connected to two PO(4) tetra­hedra. The obtained [Cu(2)P(2)O(12)] units are inter­connected through vertices to form sheets that are sandwiched between undulating layers resulting from the junction of PO(4) tetra­hedra and [InO(6)] octa­hedra. The two types of layers are alternately stacked along [101] and are joined into a three-dimensional framework through vertex- and edge-sharing, leaving channels parallel to the stacking direction. The channels host the sodium cations that are surrounded by four oxygen atoms in form of a distorted disphenoid.