Well crystallized samples of the intermetallic zinc compounds CeNiZn and CeAuZn were synthesized from the elements in sealed tantalum ampoules. They were investigated by X-ray diffraction on powders and single crystals. CeNiZn: ZrNiAl type, space group P6̅2m, Z = 3, a = 713.3(3), c = 388.7(1) pm, wR2 = 0.0422 for 14 refined variables and 286 F2 values; CeAuZn: TiNiSi type, space group Pnma, Z = 4, a = 719.2(2), b = 462.7(1), c = 796.5(2) pm, wR2 = 0.0403 for 20 refined variables and 467 F2

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... s. Magnetic susceptibility data reveal that CeNiZn is an intermediate-valent cerium compound with essentially tetravalent cerium. CeAuZn shows Curie-Weiss paramagnetism with an experimental magnetic moment of 2.51(1) μB per Ce atom and θP = −70(1) K. No magnetic ordering is observed down to 2.1 K.