The Determination of the Structures of Complex Molecules and Ions from X-Ray Diffraction by Their Solutions: The Structures of the Groups PtBr_6^(--), PtCl_6^(--), Nb_6Cl_(12)^(++), Ta_6Br_(12)^(++), and Ta_6Cl_(12)^(++)

We have applied X-ray diffraction from solutions to the determination of the structures of chloro- and bromoplatinic acids and some complex lower halides of niobium and tantalum. We have interpreted the diffraction photographs by the visual estimation technique which has been used in these laboratories to determine the structures of a large number of gas molecules from their electron diffraction patterns.