Raman spectra of (NH4)3ZnCl4NO3 and (ND4)3ZnCl4NO3 between 295 and 60 K

Raman spectra from polycrystalline samples of (NH4)3ZnCl4NO3 and (ND4)3ZnCl4NO3 have been studied in the temperature range 60-295 K. Internal modes of both nitrate and tetrachlorozincate ions show expected band narrowing and intensification at lower temperature but no significant changes in frequency. Two bands in the lattice region of both compounds, assigned to nitrate ion libration and rocking, show linear increases in frequency with lowering temperature. The intensity of the libration mode shows a linear decrease with lowering temperature, but the intensity of the rocking mode is relatively insensitive to temperature change. Ammonium ion bands show greater structure at low temperature, suggesting differentiation between the two crystallographically distinct types of cation. The observed spectral changes are interpreted on the basis of increasing ordering and effectiveness of hydrogen bonds between ammonium ions and nitrate ions at low temperatures. The Raman spectra give no evidence of discontinuous changes in frequency or intensity, which would signal temperature-dependent transitions of the crystal structure. Unlike the related single-anion compounds NH4NO3 and (NH4)2ZnCl4, the room-temperature structure of (NH4)3ZnCl4NO3 and (ND4)3ZnCl4NO3 appears to persist at least to 60 K, being stabilized by increasingly ordered hydrogen bonding.