Formation Principles for Templated Vanadium Selenite Oxalates

Abstract

A set of formation principles governing organically templated vanadium selenite oxalates are described in the context of nine new compounds. The compositions of the reaction mixture dictate the form of the secondary building units from which [(VO)₂­(C₂O₄)­(SeO₃)₂]_<i>n</i>^2<i>n</i>– layers are constructed. The strength of hydrogen-bonding interactions is maximized in these compounds, directly affecting the orientations of the organic ammonium cations and enabling amine packing efficiency to affect layer tessellation. The orientations of selenite stereoactive lone pairs are driven by the minimization of internal void space. Compound symmetry can be directed to chiral space groups through the use of chiral components, with the use of either (<i>R</i>)-2-methylpiperazine or (<i>S</i>)-2-methylpiperazine, resulting in noncentrosymmetric, polar, chiral structures that crystallize in the space group <i>P</i>2₁ (No. 4)