Selective intercalation of o-phenylene diamine into molybdenum oxide layers

o-Phenylene diamine molecules were intercalated into molybdenum oxide layers by an in situ co-precipitation method. The structure and composition of the intercalated material were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and elemental analysis. XRD data evidenced a layered structure with a spacing of 18 Å, which corresponds to an organic–inorganic hybrid-layered structure. IR and UV–vis spectra indicated the polymerization of o-phenylene between the molybdenum oxide layers. It was also observed that compared with aniline molecules, o-phenylene diamine molecules can be selectively intercalated into molybdenum oxide layers. We provide evidence that affinity for o-phenylene diamine to form intermolecular polymers is the reason for its selective intercalation. The polymer chain structure of o-phenylene diamine makes it a preferential guest species compared with aniline. We believe that this opens a new way to create organic–inorganic hybrid structures.