Synthesis and structural characterisation of two new porous metal phosphonates: Zn(O3PCH2CO2H) · H2O and Pb(O3CHCH2)

Changes in the synthetic procedures for making metal phosphonate materials can lead to whole new structure types. Using a eutectic mixture of urea and choline chloride as the reaction medium for a reaction between zinc acetate and diethylphosphonacetic acid gives rise to Zn(O3PCH2CO2H) · H2O, which has a new porous structure. Replacing divalent transition metal cations with Pb2+ in the synthesis of a vinylphosphonate, Pb(O3PCHCH2), gives rise to a new porous structure that has not previously been observed for vinylphosphonates. In this case it is the ability of the Pb2+ ions to adopt co-ordination environments other than octahederal or tetrahedral that allows the structure to form.