Do Secondary and Tertiary Ammonium Cations Act as Structure-Directing Agents in the Formation of Layered Uranyl Selenites?

Two new layered uranyl selenites, [C(4)H(12)N(2)](0.5)[UO(2)(HSeO(3))(SeO(3))] (1) and [C(6)H(14)N(2)](0.5)[UO(2)(HSeO(3))(SeO(3))].0.5H(2)O.0.5CH(3)CO(2)H (2), have been isolated from mild hydrothermal reactions. The preparation of 1 was achieved by reacting UO(2)(C(2)H(3)O(2))(2).2H(2)O with H(2)SeO(4) in the presence of piperazine at 130 degrees C for 2 d. Crystals of 2 were synthesized by reacting UO(2)(C(2)H(3)O(2))(2).2H(2)O, H(2)SeO(4), and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane at 150 degrees C for 2 d. The structure of 1 consists of UO(2)(2+) cations that are bound by bridging HSeO(3)(-) anions and chelating/bridging SeO(3)(2)(-) anions to yield UO(7) pentagonal bipyramids. The joining of the uranyl moieties by the hydrogen selenite and selenite anions creates two-dimensional 2(infinity) [UO(2)(HSeO(3))(SeO(3))](-) layers that extend in the bc-plane. The stereochemically active lone pair of electrons on the HSeO(3)(-) and SeO(3)(2)(-) anions align along the a-axis making each layer polar. The 2(infinity)[UO(2)(HSeO(3))(SeO(3))](-) layers and piperazinium cations stack in a AA'BAA'B sequence where two layers stack on one another without intervening piperazinium cations. While each 2(infinity)[UO(2)(HSeO(3))(SeO(3))](-) layer is polar, in the AA' stacking, the polarity of the second sheet is reversed with respect to the first, yielding an overall structure that is centrosymmetric. The structure of 2 is constructed from uranyl cations that are bound by three bridging SeO(3)(2)(-) and two bridging HSeO(3)(-) anions to create UO(7) pentagonal bipyramids. The linking of the uranyl cations by the HSeO(3)(-) and SeO(3)(2-) anions creates 2(infinity)[UO(2)(HSeO(3))(SeO(3))](-) layers that extend in the ac-plane. In 1 and 2, the organic ammonium cations form hydrogen bonds with the anionic uranyl selenite layers. Crystallographic data: 1, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, a = 10.9378(5) A, b = 8.6903(4) A, c = 9.9913(5) A, beta = 90.3040(8) degrees, Z = 4; 2, orthorhombic, space group Pnma, a = 13.0858(8) A, b = 17.555(1) A, c = 10.5984(7) A, Z = 8.