Elusive Double-Eight-Ring Zeolitic Secondary Building Unit

The
double-eight-ring (D8R), an elusive secondary building unit
of zeolites, has been stabilized for the first time, both in solution
and solid-state. The present study further establishes that any of
the three double-ring building blocks of zeolites, viz. D4R, D6R and
D8R ([ArPO3Zn­(L)]n (n = 4, 6 or 8)), can be preferentially isolated (over the
other two) through a careful choice of metal source, aryl phosphate
and ancillary ligand, apart from maintaining a meticulous control
on the reaction conditions.