catena-Poly[sodium(I)-μ-tetraethoxyborato]

Acta Cryst. (2005). C61, m417–m418

Recent interest in using borohydrides as hydrogen storage media for a future ‘hydrogen energy economy’ initiated our interest in alcoholysis derivatives of sodium borohydride. The title compound, NaB(OEt)₄, is accessible from both sodium borate and sodium borohydride. The crystal structure shows the compound existing as a one-dimensional polymer, incorporating 4-coordinated sodium atoms. The simplicity of the structure is in contrast with the methoxide derivative, which contains methanol molecules bridging 5-coordinated sodium atoms in a two-dimensional structure, and the ethylene glycol derivative, which incorporates 6-coordinated sodium atoms.

G. J. Gainsford and T. Kemmitt