Hybrid compounds with chain and layered structures formed by β-alanine

Inorganic–organic hybrid compounds of the amino acid alanine have been prepared and characterized for the first time. Thus by the reaction of β-alanine with copper salts, one-dimensional hybrid chain compounds of the formulae [Cu(CO2CH2CH2NH3)Cl2], I, and [Cu(H2O)2(NH3CH2CH2CO2)][SO4]·H2O, II, and a two-dimensional layered compound [NH4]0.33[Cu0.5(CO2CH2CH2NH2)Cl0.33]·H2O, III, have been obtained and their structures established by X-ray crystallography and other techniques. Hybrid chain alaninates of lead and strontium of the formulae [Pb(CO2CH2CH2NH3)2(NO3)2], IV and [Sr(CO2CH2CH2NH3)2(NO3)2], V have also been obtained by the reaction of the corresponding metal salts with alanine. The linear chain compounds, I, II, IV and V contain extended metal–X–metal (X=Cl or O) bonds and have the I1O0 type inorganic (I) and organic (O) connectivities. The layered compound III also has metal–X–metal bonds with I2O0 type connectivity. Interestingly, the zero-dimensional copper alaninate dimer of the composition [Cu2(CO2CH2CH2NH3)4Cl2]·2Cl·H2O can be transformed to the linear chain structure I or the layered structure III under mild conditions.