A zinc phosphate oxalate with phosphate layers pillared by the oxalate units

Abstract

An open-framework phosphate oxalate of zinc, of composition [NH₃(CH₂)₃NH₃][Zn₆(PO₄)₄(C₂O₄)], 1, has been synthesized, for the first time, employing hydrothermal methods in the presence of ethylenediamine. The structure comprises a network of Zn(1)O₅, Zn(2)O₄, Zn(3)O₅ polyhedra and PO₄ tetrahedra connected through their vertices forming neutral layers bridged by the oxalate units, giving one-dimensional channels. The presence of Zn in tetrahedral, trigonal-bipyramidal and square-pyramidal coordinations, and the formation of neutral layers, are noteworthy features.