Synthesis and characterization of new potential intercalation hosts—barium arylphosphonates Original Research Article

New barium phenylphosphonate dihydrate—BaC6H5PO3·2H2O—was prepared by precipitation from barium salt and phenylphosphonic acid solutions with pH adjusted to 8.5. The compound was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and infrared spectroscopy. It was found that this compound reacts with phenylphosphonic acid to form previously described barium hydrogen phenylphosphonate—Ba(C6H5PO3H)2. This reaction also proceeds in an opposite direction, i.e., Ba(C6H5PO3H)2 reacts with Ba2+ in diluted ammonia to produce BaC6H5PO3·2H2O. Infrared spectra of both barium compounds are described and compared with those of analogous strontium compounds and phenylphosphonic acid. Preliminary intercalation experiments indicated that BaC6H5PO3·2H2O could be a promising host material for intercalation of amines.