The synthesis of apatites with an organophosphate and in nonaqueous media

The syntheses of barium, cadmium, calcium, lead, and strontium apatites were performed in anhydrous polar organic solvents such as DMSO, anisole, pyridine, glacial acetic acid, ethanol, methanol, and DMF. Reactions took place under anhydrous conditions at temperatures ranging from 80 to 120 °C and for durations of 1–6 days. Ten apatites were synthesized in nonaqueous solvents and three (PbApF, PbApCl, SrApCl) were obtained using trimethylphosphate as the phosphate source. The use of nonaqueous solvents alleviates the formation of hydrogen phosphates which occurs in aqueous solution for some divalent cations. The limited solubility of even alkali metal salts in many of the solvents also produces nonapatitic double salts such as NaPb4(PO4)3, NaPbPO4, KPb4(PO4)3, Cd(OH)NO3, and NaBaPO4.