Synthesis and characterization of zinc(II) oxydiacetate (oda) complexes. Crystal structures of [{Zn(oda)center dot 0.3H(2)O}(n)], [Zn(oda)(bipy)(H2O)]center dot 2.5H(2)O and [Zn(oda)(phen)(H2O)]center dot 1.5H(2)O (bipy=2,2'-bipyridine, phen=1,10-phenanthroline)

Three novel zinc(II) oxydiacetate (oda) compounds [{Zn(oda). 0.3H(2)O}(n)] 1, [Zn(oda)(bipy)(H2O)]. 2.5H(2)O 2 (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine) and [Zn(oda)(phen)(H2O)]. 1.5H(2)O 3 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized and their structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Compound 1 consists of polymeric sheets formed by ZnO5 units bridged by carboxylate groups in anti-syn conformation along the z axis; 2 and 3 are mononuclear with the zinc atoms in distorted octahedral ZnN2O4 co-ordination geometries. Thermal decomposition of the compounds under an oxygen atmosphere affords ZnO at ca. 500 degrees C.