Six-coordinate aluminium phosphinate

Unique models of solid state aluminophosphate materials containing, for the first time, six-coordinate aluminium atoms, may be achieved in chelated ph osphinate derivatives; the degree of aggregation of these species, specific ally the remarkable transition from a dimeric molecule to a polymeric mater ial, depends on just one methylene unit; thus, [(Bu(4)(t)salpen)Al{O2P(H)Ph }](2) 1 is dimeric while [(Bu(4)(t)salen)Al{O2P(H)Ph}](infinity) 2, with on e fewer methylene unit in the connection between the two nitrogens, is a po lymeric material with the polymers aligned to form pores containing thf mol ecules.