Synthesis, structure, and base-catalytic performance of a laminar zinc phosphite-phosphate

A two-dimensional zinc phosphite-phosphate [C3H6(OH)NH3][Zn2(HPO3)(PO4)] (1) was hydrothermally synthesized with 2-hydroxypropylammonium cation as the structure-directing agent. This compound has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Its microporous framework is constructed by ZnO4, PO4, and HPO3 tetrahedral building blocks with 3, 4, and 6-ring channels. With 1 as base catalytic support, the Knoevenagel condensation reaction of benzaldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate gives a yield of 59%.