Transformations of Ruddlesden-Popper oxides to new layered perovskite oxides by metathesis reactions

We report transformations of the Ruddlesden-Popper (R-P) oxide, K2La2Ti3O10, to layered perovskite oxides, (Bi2O2)La2Ti3O10, MLa2Ti3O10 (M = Pb, Ba, Sr), and (VO)La2Ti3O10, by a novel metathesis reaction with BiOCl-, MCI2, and VOSO4. 3H(2)O, respectively. The formation of (VO)La2Ti3O10, which occurs in aqueous medium around 100 degrees C, suggests that the reaction is most likely topotactic, where the structural integrity of the perovskite sheet is preserved. We believe that the method described here provides a new general route for the synthesis/assembly of layered perovskite materials containing MX/M2X2 sheets, as indeed shown by the independent report of (CuX)LaNb2O7 synthesis by a similar reaction.