Heterobimetallic Copper(II) Uranyl Carboxyphenylphosphonates

Abstract

The hydrothermal reactions of uranyl nitrate with diethyl(2-ethoxycarbonylphenyl)phosphonate, 3-carboxyphenylphosphonic acid, or diethyl(3-ethoxycarbonylphenyl)phosphonate with HF result in the formation of [Cu(H2O)]2Cu(H2O)2[(UO2)(PO3C6H4CO2H)(PO3C6H4CO2)]2 (UCuCPPE-1) and [H3O]2[Cu(H2O)]2[(UO2)3(PO3C6H4CO2)4]·3H2O (UCuCPPE-2). UCuCPPE-1 is constructed from the UO22+ moiety coordinated by four additional oxygen donor atoms from the phosphonate moiety, resulting in a tetragonal bipyramidal geometry. The phosphonate groups span between the uranyl cations to create chains that are in turn linked into sheets by square planar and square pyramidal Cu(II) units. The phenyl groups separate the sheets from one another. The structure of UCuCPPE-2 consists of a three-dimensional network of tetragonal bipyramidal and pentagonal bipyramidal U(VI) centers. These units form chains that the phosphonate groups link into sheets. The sheets are then joined together by square pyramidal CuO5 units to create the three-dimensi...