By reaction of KC
2H and K
2Zn(CN)
4 in liquid ammonia, thediammoniate K
2Zn(C
2H)
4·2NH
3 was obtained. K
2Cd(C
2H)
4·2NH
3was synthesized by reacting KC
2H, Cd(NH
2)
2, and acetylene inliquid ammonia. The crystal structures of the air and temperaturesensitive compounds were determined by X-ray single crystaldiffraction at low temperatures (
T = 170 K). Both compoundscrystallize in the monoclinic space group
I2/
a (No. 15) with
Z =4. K
2Zn(C
2H)
4·2NH
3:
a = 7.289(1) Å,
b = 12.765(2) Å,
c =14.066(2) Å,
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= 98.11(2)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
. K
2Cd(C
2H)
4·2NH
3:
a = 7.444(1) Å,
b = 12.619(3) Å,
c = 14.304(2) Å,
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= 98.94(1)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
. Characteristicstructural motifs are tetrahedral [M(C
2H)
4]
2- fragments (M = Zn,Cd) and zigzag chains of edge sharing distorted (C
2H)
6 octahedracentered by potassium ions. These zigzag chains are connectedby a second type of crystallographically distinct potassium ionsthat also bind to two ammonia molecules.