Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026
Synthesis and Exfoliation of Discotic Zirconium Phosphates to Obtain Colloidal Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 25, 2016
Homochiral cobalt phosphonates containing δ-type chains with a tunable interlayer distance and a field-induced phase
Zhong-Sheng Cai1, Song-Song Bao, Min Ren
1State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (P. R. China).
Abstract:
Two pairs of enantiomeric Co(II) compounds with formulas [Co2 (μ3 -OH)(cyamp)(Cn H2n+1 COO)] (cyampH2 =(S)- or (R)-[(1-cyclohexylethyl)amino]methylphosphonic acid; n=1 (1); n=7 (2)) were synthesized. The structures of S-1 and S-2 were determined by single-crystal structural analyses. Both crystallize in a monoclinic chiral space group P21 , and exhibit layered structures in which the Δ-type chains of corner-sharing Co3 (μ3 -OH) triangles are connected by the phosphonate groups. The interlayer spaces are filled with the organic groups of the phosphonate and carboxylate ligands. Therefore, the distances between the layers can be manipulated by the length of the alkyl chain of the carboxylate ligands, from 14.6 Å in 1 to 20.0 Å in 2. Magnetic studies were carried out for compounds S-1 and S-2. Both show metamagnetism at low temperature. The critical field decreases with increasing interlayer distance from 8.18 kOe for S-1 to 7.01 kOe for S-2 at 1.8 K. The optical properties were also studied.
Related Concept Videos
03:02Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
02:42Valence Bond Theory
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
02:46Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than...
02:52Stereoisomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...
02:34Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly,...