[Cu(H2O)(C5H14N2)2][VO3]2 - A Metavanadate Containing Right- and Left-Handed Helical Chains

The new metavanadate [Cu(H2O)(C5H14N2)(2)][VO3](2) (C5H14N2 is 2,2-dimethylpropyldiamine) (1) was syntheized under solvothermal conditions. The compound crystallizes ill the rhombohedral space group R3m with a = 28.6984(15), c = 6.4309(3), V = 4586.9(4) angstrom(3), Z = 9. The main structural motifs are helical metavanadate {VO3}(n)(n-) chains made by corner-sharing [VO4](3) tetrahedra and [Cu(H2O)(C5H14N2)(2)](2+) complexes with the Cu2+ ion being in a distorted square-pyramidal Coordination environment. The complexes are located between left- and right-handed metavanadate chains. The arrangement of the Chains and the [Cu(H2O)(C5H14N2)(2)](2+) complexes generates Channels with liphophilic walls running along [001]. It seems that the orientation of the [Cu(H2O)(C5H14N2)(2)](2+) moieties is fixed between the metavanadate chains by strong hydrogen bonding interactions. This special arrangement prevents Cu-O bond formation as observed in many Cu2+ containing metavanadate compounds. The compound decomposes in at least three steps. The optical bandgap was determined to 3.04 eV.