Decavanadates with complex cations: synthesis and structure of (NH4)2[M(H2O)5(NH3CH2CH2COO)]2V10O28·nH2O (M?=?ZnII, n?=?4; M?=?MnII, n?=?2)

Decavanadates with complex cations, (NH₄)₂Zn(H₂O)₅(NH₃CH₂CH₂COO)]₂V₁₀O₂₈·4H₂O (4) and (NH₄)₂Mn(H₂O)₅(NH₃CH₂CH₂COO)]₂V₁₀O₂₈·2H₂O (5), have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, i.r., Raman, UV–vis. and ⁵¹V-n.m.r. spectroscopies and by thermal analysis. The X-ray structure determination revealed, both in 4 and 5, the presence of complex cations with hexacoordinated central atoms and monodentate β-alanine ligands, and decavanadate V₁₀O₂₈ ⁶⁻ anions. The differences in the structural arrangement in 4 and 5 are probably a consequence of the different ionic radii of Zn²⁺ and Mn²⁺ (high spin).