Synthesis and intracrystalline oxidation of nitrite-intercalated layered double hydroxides

Nitrite-intercalated LDHs could be prepared by a two-stage process that involves coprecipitation in the presence of nitrite ions followed by stirring the product with excess of nitrite ions. The nitrite ion lies flat in these LDHs with its c₂-axis lying approximately perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis. The interlayer nitrite ions in these LDHs could be quantitatively oxidized to nitrate ions using H₂O₂ solution. In the LDHs thus obtained the nitrate ion lies flat with its c₃-axis parallel to the crystallographic c-axis (D_3h symmetry) in the interlayer region resulting in lower basal spacing.