The compound was prepared by heating the elements in H. An X-ray investigation of powder samples showed that it was isomorphous with AlB2, with lattice constants of a = 3.0834 and c = 3.5213Å. It was also determined that the B-B, B-Mg and Mg-Mg separations in the unit cell were: 1.780, 2.503 and 3.083Å, respectively. The Goldschmit-type radii of Mg and B were 1.298 and 0.774Å, respectively.

The Preparation and Structure of Magnesium Boride, MgB2. M.E.Jones, R.E.Marsh: Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1954, 76, 1434-6