Synthesis and thermal characterization of methylammonium tetrachloro zincate (II) monohydrate crystals

Single crystals of methylammonium tetrachloro zincate (II) monohydrate were grown by slow evaporation of saturated aqueous solutions at room temperature. The grown crystals were colourless, bright and transparent. The crystals were characterized through elemental analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric (TG‐DTA) and low temperature differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) techniques. While the powder XRD pattern shows the crystallinity of the compound, the elemental analysis and the TG‐DTA confirm the stoichiometry of the compound. The low temperature DSC indicates first order structural phase transition at ‐8°C during heating cycle. The FTIR and far IR spectra of the compound show characteristic vibrational frequencies due to CH₃NH₃ and ZnCl₄^2‐ ions and other chemical bonds. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)