Room temperature molecular and lattice structures of a homologous series of anhydrous zinc(II) n-alkanoate

The room temperature structures and lattice arrangements of a homologous series of zinc(II) n-alkanoates from chain length, nC = 4–20, inclusive, have been studied using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and polarizing light microscopy. Lattice parameters from single crystal and powder diffraction data, for zinc(II) hexanoate, are compared to validate the use of the powder method. Since they are in excellent agreement, the powder data are analyzed by a software programme to determine lattice parameters for all the homologues. These are used, in conjunction with infrared, X-ray, density and molecular model calculations to determine molecular and lattice structures. The compounds are isostructural, in that, each zinc atom is tetrahedrally coordinated to oxygen atoms from four different carboxylate groups and each ligand forms a Z,E-type bidentate bridge with two tetrahedral zinc atoms resulting in a syn–anti arrangement. The hydrocarbon chains are in the fully extended all-trans configuration and are tilted at an average angle of 60° to the zinc basal plane. For the short chain length compounds with nC ≤ 8, a double bilayer in-plane-perpendicular–perpendicular-in-plane arrangement of hydrocarbon chains, with two molecules per unit cell, is indicated. For the others, an interdigitating in-plane–in-plane bilayer with head-to-tail interactions, with one molecule per unit cell, is proposed. A geometric model is presented to account for odd–even chain effects and to explain the differences in melting points and densities between these adducts. All the compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space group with P symmetry and are arranged in a two-dimensional network along the ac plane within the unit cell.