Poly[μ(3)-β-alanine-aqua-μ(4)-sulfato-dilithium].

Area of Science:

• Coordination chemistry
• Materials science
• Crystallography

Background:

• Coordination polymers are materials with diverse applications.
• Beta-alanine is an important amino acid with zwitterionic properties.
• Understanding the crystal structure of new compounds is crucial for material development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel coordination polymer containing lithium, sulfate, and beta-alanine.
• To elucidate the crystal structure and bonding of the title compound.
• To investigate the role of beta-alanine in the coordination polymer framework.

Main Methods:

• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction was used to determine the crystal structure.
• The coordination environment of lithium cations was analyzed.
• Hydrogen bonding interactions were identified and studied.

Main Results:

• The compound [Li(2)(SO(4))(C(3)H(7)NO(2))(H(2)O)](n) was successfully synthesized.
• A corrugated layered structure was observed, with alternating inorganic ([LiO(4)], [SO(4)]) and organic (beta-alanine) layers.
• Beta-alanine residues were found to exist in their zwitterionic form.
• Lithium cations exhibited a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry.

Conclusions:

• The study presents a novel layered coordination polymer built from lithium, sulfate, and zwitterionic beta-alanine.
• The crystal structure is stabilized by a network of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
• This work contributes to the understanding of coordination polymer structures and the incorporation of amino acids.