Synthesis and crystal structure of MIL-32:: a new chiral layered aluminophosphate templated with non chiral tris(2-aminoethyl)amine:: Al3(PO4)4, N4C6H21, H2O

MIL-32 formulated: Al-3(PO4)(4), N4C6H21, H2O, is a new layered aluminophosphate obtained by hydrothermal synthesis using tris(2-aminoethyl)amine as a template. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2 with a = 19.1418(5), b = 8.5274(2), c = 14.5454(1) Angstrom, beta = 104.543(2)degrees and Z = 4. Its structure consists of chiral inorganic layers interleaved by the non-chiral triprotonated amine. The inorganic layer is built up from two similar structural units with five polyhedra, connected together by linking phosphate groups. The two structural units contain two identical PO4 tetrahedra and three AlO4 tetrahedra. Each aluminium tetrahedron shares all its vertices with the PO4 groups: two corners with the two PO4 tetrahedra of the structural unit and the two other ones with the PO4 groups linking the structural units to each other. The connection of the two units via phosphate groups delimits 6-ring channels along the a axis. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.