(C8H22N4Zn)2Ge7O14(OH)F3: a one-dimensional zinc germanate containing hollow columns with an 18-membered window.

A new zinc germanate incorporating a tetradentate amine ligand has been synthesized by the solvothermal method and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solid-state 19F NMR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and IR spectroscopy. Its structure contains close-packed hollow columns with an 18-membered window, each of which contains six one-dimensional chains formed of Ge7X19 (X = O, OH, F) clusters connected to zinc complexes.