Intercalation of alkanols and glycols into zirconium(IV) hydrogenphosphate monohydrate

Abstract

Alkanols and glycols have been intercalculated in the layered structure of Zr(HPO4)2·H2O by regenerating salt forms of the exchanger with the protonated alkanols or glycols. The increase in the interlayer spacing of the obtained compounds with the length of the guest molecule suggests that n-alkanols are intercalated as a bimolecular film of extended molecules while glycols form a unimolecular film. Owing to the weak forces holding the molecules within the layers of zirconium phosphate and their high interlayer spacing, the intercalated compounds have been used successfully to intercalate other polar organic molecules. The use of zirconium phosphate–alkanol compounds as ion exchangers in aqueous and non-aqueous media is also reported and discussed.