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The title compound, H3PO4·C3H5N2+·H2PO4-, was synthesized during an investigation of the inter­calation of imidazole into a series of VOPO4 compounds. The asymmetric unit contains two phosphate species, which are disordered H2PO4- and H3PO4, and one imidazolium cation, and has significant hydrogen bonding.

Supporting information

cif

Crystallographic Information File (CIF) https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600536805041103/fl6198sup1.cif
Contains datablocks I, global

hkl

Structure factor file (CIF format) https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600536805041103/fl6198Isup2.hkl
Contains datablock I

CCDC reference: 296561

Key indicators

  • Single-crystal X-ray study
  • T = 296 K
  • Mean [sigma](P-O) = 0.002 Å
  • Disorder in main residue
  • R factor = 0.038
  • wR factor = 0.079
  • Data-to-parameter ratio = 14.1

checkCIF/PLATON results

No syntax errors found



Alert level C PLAT042_ALERT_1_C Calc. and Rep. MoietyFormula Strings Differ .... ? PLAT301_ALERT_3_C Main Residue Disorder ......................... 25.00 Perc.
0 ALERT level A = In general: serious problem 0 ALERT level B = Potentially serious problem 2 ALERT level C = Check and explain 0 ALERT level G = General alerts; check 1 ALERT type 1 CIF construction/syntax error, inconsistent or missing data 0 ALERT type 2 Indicator that the structure model may be wrong or deficient 1 ALERT type 3 Indicator that the structure quality may be low 0 ALERT type 4 Improvement, methodology, query or suggestion
checkCIF publication errors
Alert level A PUBL022_ALERT_1_A There is a mismatched ~ on line 146 O---O distances (~2.5 \%A), making them hydrogen bonds (Table 2). The If you require a ~ then it should be escaped with a \, i.e. \~ Otherwise there must be a matching closing ~, e.g. C~2~H~4~
1 ALERT level A = Data missing that is essential or data in wrong format 0 ALERT level G = General alerts. Data that may be required is missing

Comment top

Recently, there has been much interest in vanadium phosphate-based compounds, due mostly to their potential application as battery materials, electrochromic displays and catalysts (Padhi et al., 1997; Song et al., 2005; Whittingham, 2004; Whittingham et al., 2005). Since the early 1980 s, a new class of ionic liquids, based on imidazole (Imd), has also attracted great interest due to its potential commercial and environmental advantages (Seddon, 1997). These ionic liquids are solvent-free, allowing them, potentially, to behave in a very different manner from conventional ionic electrolytic solutions. They are also capable of operating over a wide range of temperature, from ambient to well over 373 K. The possible use of an imidazolium salt, ImdX, mixed with the corresponding lithium salt, LiX, could be very attractive for advanced lithium batteries. Such a battery might contain a lithium-containing anode material, an imidazolium electrolyte and a cathode containing a layered-structure vanadium oxide or phosphate. However, a concern with such a system is the possible intercalation of the imidazolium cations between the layers of the oxide/phosphate structures. Such intercalation compounds have not previously been reported. While studying these possible reactions, we accidentally synthesized the title compound, (I), containing only imidazolium cations and phosphate anions. This paper describes the crystal structure of this compound.

Colourless crystals of (I) were found to crystallize in the monoclinic system. The structure is of an ionic type with hydrogen bonding (Figs. 1 and 2). It contains two phosphate groups and one imidazolium cation. Some of the H atoms are disordered between the two phosphate groups so they alternate between H2PO4 and H3PO4. This disorder provides H atoms for all the short O—O distances (~2.5 Å), making them hydrogen bonds (Table 2). The imidazolium cation is also disordered between two orientations in about a 3:1 ratio. The strong hydrogen bonding in this structure is in addition to the electrostatic interactions between the phosphate anions and the imidazolium cations. Both PO4 tetrahedra (Table 1) have two short P—O distances in the range 1.50–1.51 Å, while the other two lie between 1.54 and 1.56 Å.

Experimental top

Several approaches have been used for the synthesis of VOPO4·2H2O, the starting material in this study. The conventional approach involves the prolonged refluxing of V2O5 in aqueous phosphoric acid (Ladwig, 1965). A more rapid method uses a sonochemical approach (Park et al., 2001). In order to optimize the possible reactions, we decided to make a highly porous phosphate of formula VOPO4·2H2O by reacting foam gel V2O5 (Chandrappa et al., 2002) with phosphoric acid. The title compound was isolated from a mixture of excess imidazole and the above VOPO4·2H2O in a 3:1 molar ratio. This mixture was allowed to stand for 30 d under ambient conditions. Crystals began to grow at the surface of a greenish solid precipitate in the beaker. The title compound was obtained by careful removal of a single-crystal from the mixture.

Refinement top

H atoms of the phosphate groups were located from a difference Fourier map and refined independently. On introducing partially occupied H atoms into the PO4 groups, refinement of the H-atom positions was constrained, but the Uiso(H) values were refined freely. The H atoms of the imidazolium ions were refined within a rigid-body model riding on their parent C or N atoms, with C—H = 0.93 Å and N—H = 0.86 Å, and with Uiso(H) = 1.2Ueq(C,N). [Please check added text]

Computing details top

Data collection: SMART (Bruker, 1999); cell refinement: SAINT (Bruker, 1999); data reduction: SAINT; program(s) used to solve structure: SHELXS97 (Sheldrick, 1997); program(s) used to refine structure: SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 1997); molecular graphics: PLATON (Spek, 2003); software used to prepare material for publication: SHELXL97.

Figures top
[Figure 1] Fig. 1. A view of the molecular ions in (I), showing the numbering scheme employed. Displacement ellipsoids are shown at the 50% probability level and H atoms are displayed with arbitrarily small radii.
[Figure 2] Fig. 2. A view showing the packing of the moloecular ions in (I).
Phosphoric acid imidazolium dihydrogenphosphate top
Crystal data top
H3PO4·C3H5N2+·H2PO4F(000) = 544
Mr = 264.07Dx = 1.749 Mg m3
Monoclinic, P21/cMo Kα radiation, λ = 0.71073 Å
Hall symbol: -P 2ybcCell parameters from 3640 reflections
a = 9.138 (4) Åθ = 2.6–31.3°
b = 14.605 (6) ŵ = 0.46 mm1
c = 7.516 (3) ÅT = 296 K
β = 91.447 (6)°Prism, colourless
V = 1002.8 (7) Å30.36 × 0.28 × 0.24 mm
Z = 4
Data collection top
Bruker APEX CCD area-detector
diffractometer
2291 independent reflections
Radiation source: fine-focus sealed tube1895 reflections with I > 2σ(I)
Graphite monochromatorRint = 0.025
Detector resolution: 8.33 pixels mm-1θmax = 27.5°, θmin = 2.2°
ω scansh = 118
Absorption correction: multi-scan
(SADABS; Sheldrick, 1996)
k = 1618
Tmin = 0.802, Tmax = 0.895l = 99
6101 measured reflections
Refinement top
Refinement on F2Secondary atom site location: difference Fourier map
Least-squares matrix: fullHydrogen site location: difference Fourier map
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.038H-atom parameters constrained
wR(F2) = 0.079 w = 1/[σ2(Fo2) + (0.003P)2 + 1.182P]
where P = [-max(Fo2,0) + 2Fc2]/3
S = 1.00(Δ/σ)max < 0.001
2291 reflectionsΔρmax = 0.28 e Å3
162 parametersΔρmin = 0.36 e Å3
40 restraintsExtinction correction: SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 1997), Fc*=kFc[1+0.001xFc2λ3/sin(2θ)]-1/4
Primary atom site location: structure-invariant direct methodsExtinction coefficient: 0.0192 (9)
Crystal data top
H3PO4·C3H5N2+·H2PO4V = 1002.8 (7) Å3
Mr = 264.07Z = 4
Monoclinic, P21/cMo Kα radiation
a = 9.138 (4) ŵ = 0.46 mm1
b = 14.605 (6) ÅT = 296 K
c = 7.516 (3) Å0.36 × 0.28 × 0.24 mm
β = 91.447 (6)°
Data collection top
Bruker APEX CCD area-detector
diffractometer
2291 independent reflections
Absorption correction: multi-scan
(SADABS; Sheldrick, 1996)
1895 reflections with I > 2σ(I)
Tmin = 0.802, Tmax = 0.895Rint = 0.025
6101 measured reflections
Refinement top
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.03840 restraints
wR(F2) = 0.079H-atom parameters constrained
S = 1.00Δρmax = 0.28 e Å3
2291 reflectionsΔρmin = 0.36 e Å3
162 parameters
Special details top

Geometry. All e.s.d.'s (except the e.s.d. in the dihedral angle between two l.s. planes) are estimated using the full covariance matrix. The cell e.s.d.'s are taken into account individually in the estimation of e.s.d.'s in distances, angles and torsion angles; correlations between e.s.d.'s in cell parameters are only used when they are defined by crystal symmetry. An approximate (isotropic) treatment of cell e.s.d.'s is used for estimating e.s.d.'s involving l.s. planes.

Refinement. Refinement of F2 against ALL reflections. The weighted R-factor wR and goodness of fit S are based on F2, conventional R-factors R are based on F, with F set to zero for negative F2. The threshold expression of F2 > σ(F2) is used only for calculating R-factors(gt) etc. and is not relevant to the choice of reflections for refinement. R-factors based on F2 are statistically about twice as large as those based on F, and R- factors based on ALL data will be even larger.

Fractional atomic coordinates and isotropic or equivalent isotropic displacement parameters (Å2) top
xyzUiso*/UeqOcc. (<1)
N10.1910 (4)0.0147 (3)0.6095 (6)0.0482 (12)0.775 (5)
H10.14250.02930.70190.058*0.775 (5)
C20.2814 (6)0.0540 (3)0.5987 (6)0.0496 (11)0.775 (5)
H20.30600.09470.68990.059*0.775 (5)
N30.3314 (4)0.0557 (3)0.4369 (6)0.0530 (11)0.775 (5)
H30.39250.09480.39630.064*0.775 (5)
C40.2694 (7)0.0156 (5)0.3435 (7)0.0698 (17)0.775 (5)
H40.28440.02990.22480.084*0.775 (5)
C50.1858 (6)0.0593 (3)0.4521 (8)0.0580 (12)0.775 (5)
H50.13210.11180.42600.070*0.775 (5)
N1A0.3153 (16)0.0060 (13)0.362 (2)0.0482 (12)0.225 (5)
H1A0.35870.02050.26630.058*0.225 (5)
C2A0.311 (2)0.0571 (13)0.516 (4)0.0580 (12)0.225 (5)
H2A0.35740.11240.54060.070*0.225 (5)
N3A0.226 (3)0.0103 (17)0.617 (3)0.0698 (17)0.225 (5)
H3A0.20380.02510.72340.084*0.225 (5)
C4A0.179 (2)0.0629 (15)0.533 (3)0.0530 (11)0.225 (5)
H4A0.10910.10340.57440.064*0.225 (5)
C5A0.241 (2)0.0697 (12)0.391 (2)0.0496 (11)0.225 (5)
H5A0.23570.12010.31530.059*0.225 (5)
P10.01161 (6)0.16289 (3)0.03493 (7)0.02685 (15)
O110.06306 (18)0.15451 (10)0.15976 (19)0.0386 (4)
H110.08050.20560.19900.036 (9)*0.70 (4)
O120.11891 (17)0.22935 (11)0.0439 (2)0.0476 (4)
H120.18930.20770.01140.074 (11)*
O130.12885 (16)0.20326 (11)0.1534 (2)0.0355 (4)
H130.09160.23740.22610.036 (9)*0.30 (4)
O140.03690 (19)0.06759 (10)0.0857 (2)0.0446 (4)
H140.00010.03010.01920.055 (17)*0.50
P20.50326 (6)0.16567 (4)0.03353 (7)0.02883 (15)
O210.55744 (18)0.15440 (11)0.2303 (2)0.0398 (4)
H210.57760.20480.27220.056 (9)*
O220.37996 (17)0.23818 (11)0.0257 (2)0.0412 (4)
H220.30720.21790.07380.084 (12)*
O230.62265 (16)0.20105 (11)0.0815 (2)0.0386 (4)
O240.43963 (19)0.07395 (11)0.0202 (2)0.0475 (4)
H240.50020.03360.00020.056 (18)*0.50
Atomic displacement parameters (Å2) top
U11U22U33U12U13U23
N10.044 (2)0.058 (3)0.0428 (17)0.0056 (16)0.0130 (15)0.0116 (19)
C20.058 (2)0.051 (2)0.0405 (18)0.0082 (17)0.0060 (16)0.0091 (17)
N30.062 (2)0.055 (2)0.0429 (19)0.0234 (15)0.0087 (15)0.0090 (17)
C40.079 (4)0.087 (4)0.044 (2)0.025 (3)0.018 (2)0.024 (2)
C50.067 (3)0.0396 (19)0.068 (3)0.0160 (17)0.007 (3)0.007 (2)
N1A0.044 (2)0.058 (3)0.0428 (17)0.0056 (16)0.0130 (15)0.0116 (19)
C2A0.067 (3)0.0396 (19)0.068 (3)0.0160 (17)0.007 (3)0.007 (2)
N3A0.079 (4)0.087 (4)0.044 (2)0.025 (3)0.018 (2)0.024 (2)
C4A0.062 (2)0.055 (2)0.0429 (19)0.0234 (15)0.0087 (15)0.0090 (17)
C5A0.058 (2)0.051 (2)0.0405 (18)0.0082 (17)0.0060 (16)0.0091 (17)
P10.0265 (3)0.0219 (3)0.0323 (3)0.0002 (2)0.0049 (2)0.0022 (2)
O110.0562 (10)0.0293 (8)0.0306 (8)0.0045 (7)0.0063 (7)0.0009 (6)
O120.0279 (8)0.0365 (9)0.0779 (12)0.0062 (7)0.0074 (8)0.0179 (8)
O130.0270 (8)0.0414 (9)0.0382 (8)0.0037 (7)0.0021 (6)0.0102 (7)
O140.0619 (11)0.0266 (8)0.0463 (9)0.0061 (8)0.0240 (8)0.0009 (7)
P20.0243 (3)0.0273 (3)0.0349 (3)0.0023 (2)0.0015 (2)0.0013 (2)
O210.0483 (10)0.0353 (9)0.0358 (8)0.0007 (7)0.0000 (7)0.0004 (7)
O220.0276 (8)0.0324 (8)0.0638 (11)0.0055 (7)0.0090 (7)0.0072 (7)
O230.0247 (7)0.0526 (10)0.0386 (8)0.0039 (7)0.0037 (6)0.0047 (7)
O240.0438 (10)0.0326 (9)0.0655 (11)0.0007 (8)0.0102 (8)0.0090 (8)
Geometric parameters (Å, º) top
N1—C21.303 (5)C5—H50.9300
N1—C51.351 (6)P1—O131.4965 (16)
N1—H10.8600P1—O141.5125 (16)
C2—N31.311 (4)P1—O121.5405 (16)
C2—H20.9300P1—O111.5530 (16)
N3—C41.369 (6)P2—O231.5010 (16)
N3—H30.8600P2—O241.5112 (17)
C4—C51.299 (7)P2—O221.5464 (16)
C4—H40.9300P2—O211.5565 (17)
C2—N1—C5109.0 (3)O13—P1—O11111.24 (9)
C2—N1—H1125.5O14—P1—O11105.22 (9)
C5—N1—H1125.5O12—P1—O11110.11 (10)
N1—C2—N3108.0 (3)P1—O11—H11109.5
N1—C2—H2126.0P1—O12—H12109.5
N3—C2—H2126.0P1—O13—H13109.5
C2—N3—C4108.2 (3)P1—O14—H14109.5
C2—N3—H3125.9O23—P2—O24115.57 (10)
C4—N3—H3125.9O23—P2—O22106.37 (9)
C5—C4—N3107.1 (4)O24—P2—O22108.77 (10)
C5—C4—H4126.5O23—P2—O21111.44 (9)
N3—C4—H4126.5O24—P2—O21105.72 (10)
C4—C5—N1107.8 (4)O22—P2—O21108.82 (9)
C4—C5—H5126.1P2—O21—H21109.5
O13—P1—O14115.00 (10)P2—O22—H22109.5
O13—P1—O12105.62 (9)P2—O24—H24109.5
O14—P1—O12109.67 (10)
C5—N1—C2—N31.5 (5)N3—C4—C5—N12.0 (7)
N1—C2—N3—C40.3 (5)C2—N1—C5—C42.2 (6)
C2—N3—C4—C51.1 (6)
Hydrogen-bond geometry (Å, º) top
D—H···AD—HH···AD···AD—H···A
N1—H1···O14i0.861.972.827 (4)177
N3—H3···O210.862.162.986 (4)160
O11—H11···O13ii0.821.792.587 (2)162
O12—H12···O23iii0.821.792.554 (2)155
O13—H13···O11iv0.821.822.587 (2)155
O14—H14···O14v0.821.672.461 (3)162
O21—H21···O23iv0.821.802.602 (2)165
O22—H22···O130.821.762.561 (2)164
O24—H24···O24vi0.821.672.441 (4)156
Symmetry codes: (i) x, y, z+1; (ii) x, y+1/2, z1/2; (iii) x1, y, z; (iv) x, y+1/2, z+1/2; (v) x, y, z; (vi) x+1, y, z.

Experimental details

Crystal data
Chemical formulaH3PO4·C3H5N2+·H2PO4
Mr264.07
Crystal system, space groupMonoclinic, P21/c
Temperature (K)296
a, b, c (Å)9.138 (4), 14.605 (6), 7.516 (3)
β (°) 91.447 (6)
V3)1002.8 (7)
Z4
Radiation typeMo Kα
µ (mm1)0.46
Crystal size (mm)0.36 × 0.28 × 0.24
Data collection
DiffractometerBruker APEX CCD area-detector
diffractometer
Absorption correctionMulti-scan
(SADABS; Sheldrick, 1996)
Tmin, Tmax0.802, 0.895
No. of measured, independent and
observed [I > 2σ(I)] reflections
6101, 2291, 1895
Rint0.025
(sin θ/λ)max1)0.650
Refinement
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)], wR(F2), S 0.038, 0.079, 1.00
No. of reflections2291
No. of parameters162
No. of restraints40
H-atom treatmentH-atom parameters constrained
Δρmax, Δρmin (e Å3)0.28, 0.36

Computer programs: SMART (Bruker, 1999), SAINT (Bruker, 1999), SAINT, SHELXS97 (Sheldrick, 1997), SHELXL97 (Sheldrick, 1997), PLATON (Spek, 2003), SHELXL97.

Selected bond lengths (Å) top
N1—C21.303 (5)P1—O121.5405 (16)
N1—C51.351 (6)P1—O111.5530 (16)
C2—N31.311 (4)P2—O231.5010 (16)
N3—C41.369 (6)P2—O241.5112 (17)
C4—C51.299 (7)P2—O221.5464 (16)
P1—O131.4965 (16)P2—O211.5565 (17)
P1—O141.5125 (16)
Hydrogen-bond geometry (Å, º) top
D—H···AD—HH···AD···AD—H···A
N1—H1···O14i0.861.972.827 (4)177
N3—H3···O210.862.162.986 (4)160
O11—H11···O13ii0.821.792.587 (2)162
O12—H12···O23iii0.821.792.554 (2)155
O13—H13···O11iv0.821.822.587 (2)155
O14—H14···O14v0.821.672.461 (3)162
O21—H21···O23iv0.821.802.602 (2)165
O22—H22···O130.821.762.561 (2)164
O24—H24···O24vi0.821.672.441 (4)156
Symmetry codes: (i) x, y, z+1; (ii) x, y+1/2, z1/2; (iii) x1, y, z; (iv) x, y+1/2, z+1/2; (v) x, y, z; (vi) x+1, y, z.
 

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