Isolation of a zinc phosphate primary building unit, [C6N2H18](2+)[Zn(HPO4)(H2PO4)(2)](2-), and its transformation to an open-framework phosphate, [C6N2H18](2+)[Zn-3(H2O)(4)(HPO4)(4)](2-)

A 4-membered ring zinc phosphate monomer, I, [C6N2H18](2+) [Zn(HPO4) (H2PO4 )(2)](2-), has been isolated by the reaction of the Zn2+ with the amine, N, N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMED) and H3PO4 at room temperature ove r an extended period of time, It could also be prepared by the reaction of the amine phosphate, [C6N2H18][HPO4] 2H(2)O, with Zn2+ in the temperature r ange 30-80 degrees C. The phosphate monomer consists of a network of ZnO4, PO2(OH)(2), and PO3(OH) tetrahedral units linked by their vertices, forming isolated 4-membered rings that are held by hydrogen bond interactions. Int erestingly, I, on mild heating, transform into a layered structure, II, [C6 N2H18](2+) [Zn-3(H2O)(4)(HPO4)(4)](2-). The structure of II consists of a n etwork of ZnO4, ZnO2(H2O)(4), and PO3(OH) moieties sharing the vertices, fo rming a layered architecture. The formation of a layered structure from the 4-membered ring monomer suggests that the 4-membered ring is likely to be the primary building unit of the open-framework phosphates. (C) 2000 Academ ic Press.