Di-hydroxy malonic acid as a building block of hydrogen-bonded 3-dimensional architectures

An examination of the crystal structures of di-hydroxy malonic acid 1 (P2₁/na = 5.384(2), b = 6.268(2), c = 14.354(8) Å, = 103.57(3)°) and N-ethylbenzylammonium di-hydroxy hydrogenmalonate 2 (P2₁2₁2₁ a = 13.373(2), b = 15.342(4), c = 18.741(4) Å,) has highlighted the influence of directional O–H···O interactions in the assembly of hydroxy-substituted dicarboxylic acids. The complementarity of carboxylic and hydroxy groups in 1 creates a very dense 3-D structure (D _c = 1.919 g cm^–3) through four O–H···O hydrogen bonds. In 2, the anions form infinite, spiraling chains created by head-to-tail O–H···O hydrogen bonds. Neighbouring chains are crosslinked into a complex 3-D anionic network with channels parallel to a and b. The cations are positioned within these channels and held in place via two N–H···O interactions.     

On the organoaluminum chemistry of multidentate phosphine ligands. Reaction of trimethylaluminum with bis(diphenylphosphino)methane: Synthesis and molecular structure of [Al(CH3)3]2[(C6H5)2PCH2P(C6H5)2]

Reaction of an excess of trimethylaluminum with bis(diphenylphosphino)-methane in heptane affords the crystalline complex [A1(CH₃)₃]₂[(C₆H₅)₂PCH₂P(C₆H₅)₂]. The title compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P¯1 with unit cell parametersa=10.053(6),b=11.017(6),c=15.908(8) Å,=85.58(4),=71.80(4), =77.49(4)°,V=1634(1) ų, andD _c=1.07 g cm^–3 forZ=2. Least-squares refinement based on 2924 observed reflection with intensitiesI3I) in the range 2.00245.0° converged atR=0.050 (R _w=0.067). The Al-P distances are 2.585(2) and 2.521(2) Å, and the P-C-P angle is 121.4(2)°.