Nonaqueous synthesis and crystal structure of NH ₄ZnPO ₄

Single crystal of NH ₄ZnPO ₄ was synthesized from nonaqueous system and its crystal structure was determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure was solved by direct method and refined by full-matrix least-square method. The crystal is hexagonal with space group P6 ₃ and has a unit cell with α = 1. 068 8 (2) nm, c 0. 870 6 (2) nm, V = 0. 861 3 (2) nm ³, M _r = 178. 38, μ=59. 65 cm ^-1, Z = 8, _c = 2. 751 g · cm ^-3, R=0.035, R _w=0. 078. There are no Zn - O - Zn and P - O - P linkages in the structure. Both zinc and phosphorus atoms are four-coordinated to oxygen atoms. The framework structure contains six-membered ring direct channels along c-axis. The linear Zn - O - P linkage was first found in the structure of the phosphates.