Solid-Phase Quasi-Intramolecular Redox Reaction of [Ag(NH(3))(2)]MnO(4): An Easy Way to Prepare Pure AgMnO(2)

[Image: see text] Two monoclinic polymorphs of [Ag(NH(3))(2)]MnO(4) containing a unique coordination mode of permanganate ions were prepared, and the high-temperature polymorph was used as a precursor to synthesize pure AgMnO(2). The hydrogen bonds between the permanganate ions and the hydrogen atoms of ammonia were detected by IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Under thermal decomposition, these hydrogen bonds induced a solid-phase quasi-intramolecular redox reaction between the [Ag(NH(3))(2)](+) cation and MnO(4)(–) anion even before losing the ammonia ligand or permanganate oxygen atom. The polymorphs decomposed into finely dispersed elementary silver, amorphous MnO(x) compounds, and H(2)O, N(2) and NO gases. Annealing the primary decomposition product at 573 K, the metallic silver reacted with the manganese oxides and resulted in the formation of amorphous silver manganese oxides, which started to crystallize only at 773 K and completely transformed into AgMnO(2) at 873 K.