Trigonal-Bipyramidal Coordination in First Ammoniates of ZnF2: ZnF2(NH3)3 and ZnF2(NH3)2.

Single crystals of ZnF2(NH3)3 and ZnF2(NH3)2 were obtained under ammonothermal conditions (250 °C, 196 MPa and 500 °C, 136 MPa). Upon thermal decomposition of both ZnF2(NH3)3 and ZnF2(NH3)2, a microcrystalline powder of ZnF2(NH3) was obtained. ZnF2(NH3)3 and ZnF2(NH3)2 represent probable intermediates in a conceivable ammonothermal synthesis of the semiconductor Zn3N2 and manifest a rare trigonal-bipyramidal coordination of F(-) and NH3 ligands around Zn(2+) according to single-crystal X-ray diffraction.