The complex chemistry of N-phosphonomethy-glycine (glyphosate): Preparation and characterization of the ammonium, lithium, sodium (4 polymorphs) and silver(i) complexes

Abstract

A series of complexes with the herbicide glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyljglycine = H3L] has been synthesized and characterized using infrared spectroscopy, and in the case of five of these, by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compounds are ammonium glyphosate [NH4][H2L] 1, lithium glyphosate Li(H2L) 2, sodium glyphosate hemi-hydrate Na(H2L)-0.5H2O 3, sodium glyphosate monohydrate Na(H2L)-H2O 4, sodium glyphosate dihydrate Na(H2L)-2H2O 5, disodium glyphosate nonahydrate Na2(HL)-9H2O 6 and disilver glyphosate Ag2(HL) 7. The crystal structures of 1, 3,4, 6 and 7 have been determined. Compound 1 consists of a hydrogen-bonded lattice structure in which all of the available ammonium protons ar..