Synthesis of a new mesostructured lamellar oxovanadium phosphate assembledthrough an (S+X-I0) mechanism

A new lamellar mesostructured oxovanadium(V) phosphate, (DDAH)(0.9)(Cl)(0.9 )VOPO4. 1.5H(2)O (DDA = dodecylamine), has been synthesized through a (S+X- I0) cooperative mechanism using protonated dodecylamine (DDAH(+)) as struct ural directing agent. The self-assembling process between 2D-[VOPO4] moieti es and (DDAH(+)... Cl-) dipolar ion pairs leads to a second-order staged ma terial in which the surfactant molecules are organized in a interdigitated array occupying the gap between double VOPO4 layers defining the inorganic walls. Besides X-ray powder diffraction and TEM observations, results from IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and intercalation reactions suggest that the inorganic framework in the title compound has clear similarities with that observed in VOPO4. 2H(2)O.