Synthesis and characterization of two new open-framework zinc phosphites [M(C6N4H18)][Zn3(HPO3)4] (M=Ni, Co) with multi-directional intersecting 12-membered ring channels

Two new open-framework zinc phosphites, [M(C6N4H18)][Zn3(HPO3)4] (M=Ni, Co), have been prepared under hydrothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that [Ni(C6N4H18)][Zn3(HPO3)4] (1) and [Co(C6N4H18)][Zn3(HPO3)4] (2) are isostructural and both crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/c with image, image, image, image°, image image, image (image), and image (all data) for 1, and image, image, image, image, image image, image (image), and image (all data) for 2. The structures of 1 and 2 are built up from strictly alternating ZnO4 tetrahedra and HPO3 pseudo-pyramids linked through oxygen vertices to form the three-dimensional (3-D) open-frameworks with multi-directional intersecting 12-membered ring (12-MR) channels. The M(TETA) (M=Ni, Co) complexes self-assembled under hydrothermal system connect with the inorganic host via M–O–P linkages and interact with inorganic framework through weak H-bonds. The two compounds show intense photoluminescence upon photoexcitation at 235 nm.