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Single crystals of the title compound, calcium neodymium ruthenate, (CaxNd11-x)Ru4O24 (x = 4.175), have been grown by the flux method. The structure consists of two crystallographically independent RuO6 octahedra, which are isolated from each other and embedded in a matrix composed of the Ca and Nd atoms. There are seven M sites which accommodate the Ca and Nd atoms with different populations. Four M sites at general positions are enriched with Nd, whereas the remaining three M sites on twofold rotation axes are enriched with Ca. The coordination numbers of O atoms to the M sites range from 6 to 9. The mean oxidation state of Ru was estimated at +4.79 from the composition analysis. The title compound is non-centrosymmetric and potentially multiferroic.

Single crystals of the title compound, strontium tetrapraseodymium tris(silicate) oxide, SrPr4(SiO4)3O, have been grown by the self-flux method using SrCl2. The structure is isotypic with the apatite supergroup family having the generic formula IXM12VIIM23(IVTO4)3X, where M = alkaline earth and rare earth metals, T = Si and X = O. The M1 site (3.. symmetry) is occupied by Pr and Sr atoms with almost even proportions and is surrounded by nine O atoms forming a tricapped trigonal prism. The M2 site (m.. symmetry) is almost exclusively occupied by Pr and surrounded by seven O atoms, forming a distorted pentagonal bipyramid. The Si atom (m.. symmetry) is surrounded by two O (m.. symmetry) and two O atoms in general positions, forming an isolated SiO4 tetrahedron. Another O atom at the inversion centre (overline{6}.. symmetry) is surrounded by three M2 sites, forming an equilateral triangle perpendicular to the c axis.