Novel Functional Materials Based on Zirconium Carboxyphosphonates with Different Dimensionality

Layered zirconium phosphonates are a class of hybrid inorgano-organic solids which structure is made of inorganic layers based on zirconium octahedra and phosphonate tetrahedra and the interlayer region is occupied by several functional groups. They represent a powerful class of materials for many applications in solid state chemistry, such as heterogeneous catalysis, nanocomposites chemistry, ion- exchange and separation and intercalation. The interest on these materials mainly resides on their high insolubility and on their chemical versatility. However, their high insolubility also represents a drawback for their correct structural characterization and for the comprehension of the structure/reactivity relationship. Here we present the synthesis and the structural characterization by means of XRPD ab-initio methods of novel zirconium aminophosphonates based on small aminoacids (glycine derived phosphonic acids, glyphosine and glyphosate). These compounds have different structure and dimensionality with novel and nice structural motifs. The ion- exchange, intercalation and proton conductivity properties have been also studied in details and will be discussed. Finally a new strategy for the growth of metal nanoparticles of very small size on the layer surface of the layered zirconium aminophosphonates will be also presented. Layered zirconium phosphonates are a class of hybrid inorgano-organic solids which structure is made of inorganic layers based on zirconium octahedra and phosphonate tetrahedra and the interlayer region is occupied by several functional groups. They represent a powerful class of materials for many applications in solid state chemistry, such as heterogeneous catalysis, nanocomposites chemistry, ion- exchange and separation and intercalation. The interest on these materials mainly resides on their high insolubility and on their chemical versatility. However, their high insolubility also represents a drawback for their correct structural characterization and for the comprehension of the structure/reactivity relationship. Here we present the synthesis and the structural characterization by means of XRPD ab-initio methods of novel zirconium aminophosphonates based on small aminoacids (glycine derived phosphonic acids, glyphosine and glyphosate). These compounds have different structure and dimensionality with novel and nice structural motifs. The ion- exchange, intercalation and proton conductivity properties have been also studied in details and will be discussed. Finally a new strategy for the growth of metal nanoparticles of very small size on the layer surface of the layered zirconium aminophosphonates will be also presented.