The structural transformation of monoclinic [(R)-C5H14N2][Cu(SO4)2(H2O)4]·2H2O into orthorhombic [(R)-C5H14N2]2[Cu(H2O)6](SO4)3: crystal structures and thermal behavior

Single crystals of [(R)-C5H14N2][Cu(SO4)2(H2O)4]·2H2O (1) were grown through the slow evaporation of a solution containing H2SO4, (R)-C5H12N2 and CuSO4·5H2O. These crystals spontaneously transform to [(R)-C5H14N2]2[Cu(H2O)6](SO4)3 (2) over the course of four days at room temperature. The same single crystal on the same mounting was used for the determination of the structure of (1) and the unit cell determination of (2). A second single crystal of the transformed batch has served for the structural determination of (2). Compound 1 crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P21 (No. 4) and consists of trimeric [Cu(SO4)2(H2O)4]2− anions, [(R)-C5H14N2]2+ cations and occluded water molecules. Compound 2 crystallizes in P21212 (No. 18) and contains [Cu(H2O)6]2+ cations, [SO4]2− anions and occluded water molecules. The thermal decompositions of compounds 1 and 2 were studied by thermogravimetric analyses and temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction.