A severely interrupted germanate zeolite framework synthesised from isolated double four-ring unitsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: XRD and NMR data. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/dt/b3/b314942k/

A new germanate zeolite framework has been prepared by first determining the reaction conditions required to prepare a molecular analogue of the zeolite double four-ring secondary building unit and then altering the conditions so as to encourage condensation of these units. The resultant material is a severely interrupted solid showing an unusual two dimensional channel system. It is also one of the most open frameworks yet discovered. The material was characterised using single crystal X-ray diffraction at a synchrotron source and solid state magic angle spinning NMR.