Hybrid organic–inorganic materials: Layered hydroxy double salts intercalated with substituted thiophene monomers

The present paper describes the synthesis and characterization of Layered Hydroxy Double Salts (HDSs) containing substituted thiophene anions (2-thiophenecarboxylate, 3-thiophenecarboxylate, and 3-thiopheneacetate). The HDSs host was synthesized via hydrothermal method and the organic anions were incorporated between the sheets by anion-exchange reaction. The materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. For the 2D-hybrid materials, the basal spacing is found to be consistent with the formation of bilayers of the intercalated organic monomers. For the hybrid material formed after intercalation of 3-thiopheneacetate anion, the ESR signals suggest that the monomers connect each other directly forming small oligomers, whereas this process is not occurring for the two other monomers presenting short alkyl chain. The TG analyses show different stages of thermal decomposition between HDSs host and 2D-hybrid materials, underlining the enhanced thermal stability of the hybrid assembly.