The compound described by Gd2Zn17 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmcm space group. There are two inequivalent Gd sites. In the first Gd site, Gd(1) is bonded in a 18-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(6), four equivalent Zn(8), and eight equivalent Zn(7) atoms. In the second Gd site, Gd(2) is bonded in a 20-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(3), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(8), four equivalent Zn(2), and four equivalent Zn(7) atoms. There are eight inequivalent Zn sites. In the first Zn site, Zn(1) is bonded in a 14-coordinate geometry to one Gd(2), one Zn(1), one Zn(3), one Zn(8), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(6), and two equivalent Zn(7) atoms. In the second Zn site, Zn(2) is bonded to two equivalent Gd(2), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(7), and two equivalent Zn(8) atoms to form ZnGd2Zn10 cuboctahedra that share corners with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with eight equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, and faces with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra. In the third Zn site, Zn(3) is bonded to two equivalent Gd(2), two equivalent Zn(1), four equivalent Zn(5), and four equivalent Zn(7) atoms to form ZnGd2Zn10 cuboctahedra that share corners with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, and faces with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra. In the fourth Zn site, Zn(4) is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Gd(1), one Gd(2), one Zn(4), one Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(7), and two equivalent Zn(8) atoms. In the fifth Zn site, Zn(5) is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Gd(1), one Gd(2), one Zn(5), one Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(3), and four equivalent Zn(7) atoms. In the sixth Zn site, Zn(6) is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Gd(1), one Gd(2), one Zn(4), one Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(7), and two equivalent Zn(8) atoms. In the seventh Zn site, Zn(7) is bonded to one Gd(2), two equivalent Gd(1), one Zn(1), one Zn(2), one Zn(3), one Zn(4), one Zn(6), one Zn(7), one Zn(8), and two equivalent Zn(5) atoms to form distorted ZnGd3Zn9 cuboctahedra that share  a cornercorner with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with seven equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra,  an edgeedge with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with three equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra,  a faceface with one Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra,  a faceface with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with three equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, and faces with five equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra. In the eighth Zn site, Zn(8) is bonded to one Gd(2), two equivalent Gd(1), one Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(6), and two equivalent Zn(7) atoms to form distorted ZnGd3Zn9 cuboctahedra that share corners with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with four equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra,  an edgeedge with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra,  an edgeedge with one Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, edges with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, and faces with six equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra. is represented by the CIF card [CIF]
data_Gd2Zn17
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M   'P 1'
_cell_length_a   8.698
_cell_length_b   9.082
_cell_length_c   9.082
_cell_angle_alpha   119.996
_cell_angle_beta   90.000
_cell_angle_gamma   90.000
_symmetry_Int_Tables_number   1
_cell_volume   621.305
_cell_formula_units_Z   2
loop_
 _symmetry_equiv_pos_site_id
 _symmetry_equiv_pos_as_xyz
  1  'x, y, z'
loop_
 _atom_site_type_symbol
 _atom_site_label
 _atom_site_symmetry_multiplicity
 _atom_site_fract_x
 _atom_site_fract_y
 _atom_site_fract_z
 _atom_site_occupancy
  Gd  Gd0  1  0.250  0.000  1.000  1.0
  Gd  Gd1  1  0.750  1.000  0.000  1.0
  Gd  Gd2  1  0.750  0.667  0.333  1.0
  Gd  Gd3  1  0.250  0.333  0.667  1.0
  Zn  Zn4  1  0.098  0.667  0.333  1.0
  Zn  Zn5  1  0.902  0.333  0.667  1.0
  Zn  Zn6  1  0.598  0.333  0.667  1.0
  Zn  Zn7  1  0.402  0.667  0.333  1.0
  Zn  Zn8  1  0.000  0.500  0.000  1.0
  Zn  Zn9  1  0.000  0.500  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn10  1  0.000  0.000  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn11  1  0.500  0.500  0.000  1.0
  Zn  Zn12  1  0.500  0.500  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn13  1  0.500  0.000  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn14  1  0.250  0.671  0.035  1.0
  Zn  Zn15  1  0.250  0.365  0.330  1.0
  Zn  Zn16  1  0.250  0.965  0.636  1.0
  Zn  Zn17  1  0.250  0.364  0.035  1.0
  Zn  Zn18  1  0.250  0.965  0.329  1.0
  Zn  Zn19  1  0.250  0.670  0.635  1.0
  Zn  Zn20  1  0.750  0.329  0.965  1.0
  Zn  Zn21  1  0.750  0.635  0.670  1.0
  Zn  Zn22  1  0.750  0.035  0.364  1.0
  Zn  Zn23  1  0.750  0.636  0.965  1.0
  Zn  Zn24  1  0.750  0.035  0.671  1.0
  Zn  Zn25  1  0.750  0.330  0.365  1.0
  Zn  Zn26  1  0.982  0.838  0.676  1.0
  Zn  Zn27  1  0.983  0.838  0.162  1.0
  Zn  Zn28  1  0.982  0.324  0.162  1.0
  Zn  Zn29  1  0.018  0.162  0.324  1.0
  Zn  Zn30  1  0.017  0.162  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn31  1  0.018  0.676  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn32  1  0.482  0.162  0.324  1.0
  Zn  Zn33  1  0.483  0.162  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn34  1  0.482  0.676  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn35  1  0.518  0.838  0.676  1.0
  Zn  Zn36  1  0.517  0.838  0.162  1.0
  Zn  Zn37  1  0.518  0.324  0.162  1.0
[/CIF]
.
The compound described by Gd2Zn17 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmcm space group. There are two inequivalent Gd sites. In the first Gd site, Gd(1) is bonded in a 18-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(6), four equivalent Zn(8), and eight equivalent Zn(7) atoms. In the second Gd site, Gd(2) is bonded in a 20-coordinate geometry to two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(3), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(8), four equivalent Zn(2), and four equivalent Zn(7) atoms. There are eight inequivalent Zn sites. In the first Zn site, Zn(1) is bonded in a 14-coordinate geometry to one Gd(2), one Zn(1), one Zn(3), one Zn(8), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(6), and two equivalent Zn(7) atoms. In the second Zn site, Zn(2) is bonded to two equivalent Gd(2), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(7), and two equivalent Zn(8) atoms to form ZnGd2Zn10 cuboctahedra that share corners with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with eight equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, and faces with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra. In the third Zn site, Zn(3) is bonded to two equivalent Gd(2), two equivalent Zn(1), four equivalent Zn(5), and four equivalent Zn(7) atoms to form ZnGd2Zn10 cuboctahedra that share corners with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, and faces with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra. In the fourth Zn site, Zn(4) is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Gd(1), one Gd(2), one Zn(4), one Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(7), and two equivalent Zn(8) atoms. In the fifth Zn site, Zn(5) is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Gd(1), one Gd(2), one Zn(5), one Zn(6), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(3), and four equivalent Zn(7) atoms. In the sixth Zn site, Zn(6) is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Gd(1), one Gd(2), one Zn(4), one Zn(5), two equivalent Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(7), and two equivalent Zn(8) atoms. In the seventh Zn site, Zn(7) is bonded to one Gd(2), two equivalent Gd(1), one Zn(1), one Zn(2), one Zn(3), one Zn(4), one Zn(6), one Zn(7), one Zn(8), and two equivalent Zn(5) atoms to form distorted ZnGd3Zn9 cuboctahedra that share  a cornercorner with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with four equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with seven equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra,  an edgeedge with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with three equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra,  a faceface with one Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra,  a faceface with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with three equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, and faces with five equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra. In the eighth Zn site, Zn(8) is bonded to one Gd(2), two equivalent Gd(1), one Zn(1), two equivalent Zn(2), two equivalent Zn(4), two equivalent Zn(6), and two equivalent Zn(7) atoms to form distorted ZnGd3Zn9 cuboctahedra that share corners with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with three equivalent Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, corners with four equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, corners with six equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra,  an edgeedge with one Zn(3)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra,  an edgeedge with one Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, edges with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, edges with four equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(2)Gd2Zn10 cuboctahedra, faces with two equivalent Zn(8)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra, and faces with six equivalent Zn(7)Gd3Zn9 cuboctahedra. is represented by the CIF card [CIF]
data_Gd2Zn17
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M   'P 1'
_cell_length_a   8.698
_cell_length_b   9.082
_cell_length_c   9.082
_cell_angle_alpha   119.996
_cell_angle_beta   90.000
_cell_angle_gamma   90.000
_symmetry_Int_Tables_number   1
_cell_volume   621.305
_cell_formula_units_Z   2
loop_
 _symmetry_equiv_pos_site_id
 _symmetry_equiv_pos_as_xyz
  1  'x, y, z'
loop_
 _atom_site_type_symbol
 _atom_site_label
 _atom_site_symmetry_multiplicity
 _atom_site_fract_x
 _atom_site_fract_y
 _atom_site_fract_z
 _atom_site_occupancy
  Gd  Gd0  1  0.250  0.000  1.000  1.0
  Gd  Gd1  1  0.750  1.000  0.000  1.0
  Gd  Gd2  1  0.750  0.667  0.333  1.0
  Gd  Gd3  1  0.250  0.333  0.667  1.0
  Zn  Zn4  1  0.098  0.667  0.333  1.0
  Zn  Zn5  1  0.902  0.333  0.667  1.0
  Zn  Zn6  1  0.598  0.333  0.667  1.0
  Zn  Zn7  1  0.402  0.667  0.333  1.0
  Zn  Zn8  1  0.000  0.500  0.000  1.0
  Zn  Zn9  1  0.000  0.500  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn10  1  0.000  0.000  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn11  1  0.500  0.500  0.000  1.0
  Zn  Zn12  1  0.500  0.500  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn13  1  0.500  0.000  0.500  1.0
  Zn  Zn14  1  0.250  0.671  0.035  1.0
  Zn  Zn15  1  0.250  0.365  0.330  1.0
  Zn  Zn16  1  0.250  0.965  0.636  1.0
  Zn  Zn17  1  0.250  0.364  0.035  1.0
  Zn  Zn18  1  0.250  0.965  0.329  1.0
  Zn  Zn19  1  0.250  0.670  0.635  1.0
  Zn  Zn20  1  0.750  0.329  0.965  1.0
  Zn  Zn21  1  0.750  0.635  0.670  1.0
  Zn  Zn22  1  0.750  0.035  0.364  1.0
  Zn  Zn23  1  0.750  0.636  0.965  1.0
  Zn  Zn24  1  0.750  0.035  0.671  1.0
  Zn  Zn25  1  0.750  0.330  0.365  1.0
  Zn  Zn26  1  0.982  0.838  0.676  1.0
  Zn  Zn27  1  0.983  0.838  0.162  1.0
  Zn  Zn28  1  0.982  0.324  0.162  1.0
  Zn  Zn29  1  0.018  0.162  0.324  1.0
  Zn  Zn30  1  0.017  0.162  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn31  1  0.018  0.676  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn32  1  0.482  0.162  0.324  1.0
  Zn  Zn33  1  0.483  0.162  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn34  1  0.482  0.676  0.838  1.0
  Zn  Zn35  1  0.518  0.838  0.676  1.0
  Zn  Zn36  1  0.517  0.838  0.162  1.0
  Zn  Zn37  1  0.518  0.324  0.162  1.0
[/CIF]
.