Synthesis of calcium oxalate trihydrate: new data by vibrational spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Calcium oxalate is found in nature in three different crystalline states determined by the number of H2O in the unit formula (whewellite CaC2O4·H2O, COM; weddellite CaC2O4·(2 + x)H2O, COD and caoxite CaC2O4·3H2O, COT). The properties of these materials are relevant in the field of biomedicine, cultural heritage and mineralogy. In two previous papers, we have used X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy (infrared and Raman) to derive information on crystal and molecular structures of COM and COD. In this paper, we complete the synthesis and analysis on the third form, COT, and present a comparative study of the data collected from the three crystalline states. The experiments clearly highlight the role played by the H2O molecules linked within the structure by different kinds of hydrogen bonds. The vibrational assignment of the infrared and Raman bands are critically proposed. The fact relevant for the work in biomedicine, cultural heritage and crystallography is that a simple examination of the spectra allows quickly to determine the chemical nature of the material in an unknown sample even in a minute quantity or in awkward experimental conditions.