The Crystal Structures of Magnesium Formate Dihydrate and Manganous Formate Dihydrate

Abstract

Magnesium and manganous formate dihydrates crystallize in the space group P2₁⁄c, with the unit cell dimensions:
a=8.69, b=7.18, c=9.39 Å, β=97.6° (for the magnesium salt),
a=8.86, b=7.29, c=9.60 Å, β=97.7° (for the magnesium salt)
. There are two kinds of magnesium (or manganous) ions in the unit cell. The fist kind is surrounded by six carboxyl oxygen atoms and the second kind by two carboxyl oxygen atoms and four water molecules, both in a regular octahedral form.