Metal-betaine interactions—X. Preparation and crystal structures of bis(triethyl betaine)bis(nitrato)disilver(I) and catena-bis(triethyl betaine)disilver(I) diperchlorate

Two silver(I) complexes of triethyl betaine (Et₃N⁺CH₂COO⁻, Et₃BET) have been prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Both complexes, [Ag₂(Et₃BET)₂ (NO₃)₂] (1) and [Ag₂(Et₃BET)₂]_n (ClO₄)_2n (2), contain centrosymmetric bis-carboxylato-bridged Ag₂(carboxylato-O,O′)₂ dimers (Ag---O = 2.16–2.23 Å). The dimeric unit in 1 is bound to a chelating nitrato group [Ag---O = 2.524(3), 2.619(3) Å] at each axial site, resulting in a discrete molecule. In 2 the dimers are extended into a stair-like cationic chain via the coordination of each metal centre by a carboxylato oxygen atom [Ag---O =2.565(5) Å] from an adjacent unit. The intra-dimer Ag… Ag distance is 2.928(1) Å for 1 and 2.856(2) Å for 2.