Synthesis and structure of poly[(μ₃-hydrogen phosphato)(pyridine)-zinc(II)]

Area of Science:

• Inorganic Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Crystallography

Background:

• Coordination polymers offer tunable structures and properties.
• Metal phosphates are versatile building blocks in materials synthesis.
• Solvothermal synthesis is a key method for creating novel crystalline materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a new zinc-based coordination polymer.
• To investigate the structural features of the synthesized compound.
• To explore the supramolecular assembly of the coordination polymer.

Main Methods:

• Solvothermal reaction of [Mo3O2(O2CCH3)6(H2O)3]ZnCl4 and H3PO4 in pyridine/water.
• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction for structural determination.
• Analysis of hydrogen bonding and other intermolecular interactions.

Main Results:

• The title compound, [Zn(HPO4)(C5H5N)]n or pyZn(HPO4) (1), was successfully synthesized.
• The crystal structure reveals an infinite ladder motif composed of alternating ZnO3N and PO3(OH) tetrahedra.
• Supramolecular sheets are formed via O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, further connected into a 3D framework by C-H⋯O interactions.

Conclusions:

• The study reports a novel zinc phosphate coordination polymer with a unique ladder structure.
• Intermolecular interactions, including hydrogen bonds, play a crucial role in the 3D framework assembly.
• The findings contribute to the understanding of structural diversity in metal-organic materials.