An electronic structure governed by the displacement of the indium site in In-S 6 octahedra: LnOInS 2 (Ln = La, Ce, and Pr).

An extremely large displacement of the indium site in In-S-6 octahedra in LnOInS(2) (Ln = La, Ce, and Pr) was found in synchrotron X-ray diffraction. LaOInS2 with off-center indium in In-S-6 octahedra exhibited a wider optical band gap than CeOInS2 and PrOInS2 with on-center indium. Therefore, the electronic structure of LnOInS(2) is governed by the indium site with an extremely large displacement. All LnOInS(2) produced H-2 gas under visible light irradiation in the presence of sacrificial electron donors.