Charge density wave in the intermetallic oxides <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>R</mml:mi> <mml:mn>5</mml:mn> </mml:msub> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>Pb</mml:mi> <mml:mn>3</mml:mn> </mml:msub> <mml:mi ma

Charge density wave (CDW) transitions can be associated with electron-phonon coupling. Here, based on transport and diffraction measurements, and supported by theoretical calculations, the authors demonstrate that the ${R}_{5}$Pb${}_{3}$O ($R$=La, Ce) family hosts an electron-phonon coupling-driven CDW at low temperatures. The high-temperature structure contains linear La-Pb chains, and the CDW is associated with the formation of La-Pb pairs within these chains. The presence of a low-temperature CDW transition is suggested by anomalously large thermal ellipses associated with the La atoms in the chains, potentially offering a means of searching for potential CDW compounds.