This thesis describes the syntheses, the crystal structures, and the physical properties of some new ternary and quaternary rare-earth coinage metal arsenides, selenides and oxides. All ternary compounds LnCu1+[delta]As2 (Ln = Y, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd - Lu), LnAg1+[delta]As2 (Ln = La - Nd, Sm), and LnAuAs2 (Ln = Pr, Sm, Gd, Tb) adopt structures closely related to the HfCuSi2 type consisting of PbO-like layers of T and As atoms, square layers of As atoms and layers of Ln atoms separating the former two building units. All copper compounds of this series contain regular square nets of As atoms, whereas the respective nets in the silver and gold compounds are distorted. Two principally different patterns of distortion have been found: [As] zigzag chains in LnAgAs2 (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm) and [As] cis-trans chains in LaAg1.01(1)As2, CeAgAs2, and PrAuAs2. Both patterns can undergo a further reduction of symmetry to end up with a pattern of As2 dumb-bells as can be seen in SmAuAs2, GdAuAs2, and TbAuAs2. Stoichiometric samples LnCuAs2 (Ln = Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) have been used for measurements of the conductivity [rho], magnetic susceptibility [chi] and heat capacity cp. All investigated compounds exhibit metallic conductivity and, except for Y, order antiferromagnetically at temperatures below 10 K. In contrast to LnCuAs2 compounds, the silver compound CeAgAs2 shows semiconducting behavior throughout the temperature range from 4 to 350 K, whereas in PrAgAs2 metallic conductivity is preserved. The crystal structure of Sm2CuAs3O contains two different PbO-like layers formed either by Sm and O or Cu and As atoms. Both PbO-type layers are separated by sheets of Sm and distorted square nets of As atoms. The As atoms are arranged in planar zigzag chains, like those found in NdAgAs2. Sm2CuAs3O is thus the first quaternary rare-earth pnictide oxide with a distorted As net. The quaternary potassium rare-earth copper selenides KGd2CuSe4, KLn2Cu3Se5 (Ln = Ho, Er, Tm), and K2Ln4Cu4Se9 (Ln = Dy, Y) extend three series of previously described sulfide and selenide compounds. All three series adopt a three-dimensional tunnel structure built up by [LnSe6] octahedra and [CuSe4] tetrahedra. The K atoms reside in the tunnels with a bicapped trigonal prismatic coordination of eight Se atoms for KGd2CuSe4 and KLn2Cu3Se5 (Ln = Ho, Er, Tm), while for K2Ln4Cu4Se9 (Ln = Dy, Y), the K atoms are coordinated by seven Se atoms in monocappped trigonal prisms.

This thesis describes the syntheses, the crystal structures, and the physical properties of some new ternary and quaternary rare-earth coinage metal arsenides, selenides and oxides. All ternary compounds LnCu1+[delta]As2 (Ln = Y, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd - Lu), LnAg1+[delta]As2 (Ln = La - Nd, Sm), and LnAuAs2 (Ln = Pr, Sm, Gd, Tb) adopt structures closely related to the HfCuSi2 type consisting of PbO-like layers of T and As atoms, square layers of As atoms and layers of Ln atoms separating the former two building units. All copper compounds of this series contain regular square nets of As atoms, whereas the respective nets in the silver and gold compounds are distorted. Two principally different patterns of distortion have been found: [As] zigzag chains in LnAgAs2 (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm) and [As] cis-trans chains in LaAg1.01(1)As2, CeAgAs2, and PrAuAs2. Both patterns can undergo a further reduction of symmetry to end up with a pattern of As2 dumb-bells as can be seen in SmAuAs2, GdAuAs2, and TbAuAs2. Stoichiometric samples LnCuAs2 (Ln = Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er) have been used for measurements of the conductivity [rho], magnetic susceptibility [chi] and heat capacity cp. All investigated compounds exhibit metallic conductivity and, except for Y, order antiferromagnetically at temperatures below 10 K. In contrast to LnCuAs2 compounds, the silver compound CeAgAs2 shows semiconducting behavior throughout the temperature range from 4 to 350 K, whereas in PrAgAs2 metallic conductivity is preserved. The crystal structure of Sm2CuAs3O contains two different PbO-like layers formed either by Sm and O or Cu and As atoms. Both PbO-type layers are separated by sheets of Sm and distorted square nets of As atoms. The As atoms are arranged in planar zigzag chains, like those found in NdAgAs2. Sm2CuAs3O is thus the first quaternary rare-earth pnictide oxide with a distorted As net. The quaternary potassium rare-earth copper selenides KGd2CuSe4, KLn2Cu3Se5 (Ln = Ho, Er, Tm), and K2Ln4Cu4Se9 (Ln = Dy, Y) extend three series of previously described sulfide and selenide compounds. All three series adopt a three-dimensional tunnel structure built up by [LnSe6] octahedra and [CuSe4] tetrahedra. The K atoms reside in the tunnels with a bicapped trigonal prismatic coordination of eight Se atoms for KGd2CuSe4 and KLn2Cu3Se5 (Ln = Ho, Er, Tm), while for K2Ln4Cu4Se9 (Ln = Dy, Y), the K atoms are coordinated by seven Se atoms in monocappped trigonal prisms.