Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of the new layered fluorogallophosphate mu-23

Mu-23, [(C(6)H(15)N(2))(C(6)H(16)N(2))Ga(5)F(6)(H(2)O)(2)(PO(4))(4)] x 4 H(2)O, the first layered fluorinated gallophosphate with a Ga/P molar ratio of 5:4, was obtained in the presence of fluoride ions with 1,4-dimethylpiperazine as an organic template. It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 (no. 2) with unit cell parameters a=8.735(11), b=8.864(5), c=12.636(10) A, alpha=98.36(5), beta=100.18(8), gamma=115.84(7) degrees. The layers consist of GaO(2)F(3)(H(2)O), GaO(4)F(2) octahedra, and GaO(4) and PO(4) tetrahedra; these moieties share their oxygen and some of their fluorine atoms. The connectivity scheme of these different polyhedra leads to the formation of eight-membered rings.