Hydrogen bonds in fluorosubstituted dicarboxylic acids: vibrational spectra and crystal structure of potassium hydrogen difluorofumarate and potassium hydrogen difluoromaleate

The crystal structures of potassium hydrogen difluoromaleate (KHDFM) and potassium hydrogen difluorofumarate (KHDFF) have been determined by single crystal X-ray methods. The hydrogen difluoromaleate ion has a closed ring structure with a short intramolecular hydrogen bond. The O· O distance is 2.415(1) Å The hydrogen difluorofumarate ions form infinite chains via short intermolecular hydrogen bonds.The O· ;O distance is 2.450(5) Å. In both compounds the hydrogen bonds are across crystallographic symmetry elements. The vibrational spectra of both compounds and their deuterated derivatives have been recorded and assigned. The IR spectrum of KHDFF is of Speakman's A₂ type. The spectra of KHDFM and potassium hydrogen maleate are very similar.