Crystal structures and spectroscopic properties of a new zinc phosphite cluster and an unexpected chainlike zinc phosphate obtained by hydrothermal reactions

A new zinc phosphite cluster, Zn2(4,4′-dmbpy)2(H2PO3)4 1, and a new chainlike zinc phosphate, Zn2(5,5′-dmbpy)2(HPO4)(H2PO4)2 2, have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions (4,4′-dmbpy=4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-dipyridy, 5,5′-dmbpy=5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-dipyridy). Compound 1 is a molecular zinc phosphite constructed from ZnO3N2 trigonal bipyramids, H2PO3 pseudo-pyramids and 4,4′-dmbpy ligands. Compound 2 possesses a 1D chainlike framework constructed from ZnO3N2 trigonal bipyramids, HPO4 tetrahedra, H2PO4 tetrahedra and 5,5′-dmbpy ligands. Both compounds 1 and 2 exhibit intensive photoluminescence originated from the intraligand π–π* transitions. Crystal data: 1, monoclinic, P21/n, image, image, image, image, image, image, image, image; 2, triclinic, P-1, image, image, image, image, image, image, image, image, image, image.