Solution Mediated Synthesis and Structure of the First Anionic Bis‐( hexaborato)‐Zincate Prepared in the Presence of an Organic Amine

A room temperature reaction of zinc acetate, tributyl borate and N, N, N′N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine (tmen) in a mixture of water and 1‐butanol has given rise to a new bis‐(hexaborato)‐zincate, [(Me)₂NH(CH₂)₂NH(Me)₂][{Zn(B₆O₇(OH)₆}₂]·2H₂O ( I ). The structure, determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction, (P1, a = 8.3014(2), b = 9.2489(2), c = 10.442(2)Å, α = 107.71(3), β = 94.22(3), γ = 100.02(3)°, V = 749.6(3)Å^{3 =} Z = 1, R₁ = 0.0387, wR₂ = 0.105), consists of anionic molecular Zn hexaborate units forming a herringbone arrangement, through strong hydrogen bond interactions, with the amine molecule situated between the chains. Compound I is the first bis‐(hexaborato)‐zincate, to our knowledge, that has been synthesized in the presence of an organic amine.