The ability of a fibrous titanium oxophosphate for nitrogen-adsorption above room temperature

Ti2O(PO4)(2)center dot 2H(2)O (1), a three-dimensional titanium oxophosphate, thermally transforms to Ti2O(PO4)(2) (2), a fibrous novel compound. The crystal structure of 2 was solved ab initio using powder X-ray diffraction data (triclinic, P (1) over bar, a = 5.0843(1) angstrom, b = 8.6121(2) angstrom, c = 9.6766(2) angstrom, alpha = 74.501(2)degrees, beta = 76.146(2)degrees, gamma = 74.488(3)degrees, Z = 2). Compound 2, containing both 4- and 6-fold coordinated titanium atoms, shows measurable thermally activated nitrogen-adsorption. To our knowledge, the process described here constitutes the first example of nitrogen-fixation by an inorganic material at above-ambient temperature.