Insights into metal borohydride and aluminohydride bonding: X-ray and neutron diffraction structures and a DFT and charge density study of [Na(15-crown-5)][EH(4)] (E = B, Al)

The neutron and X-ray structures of [Na(15-crown-5)][BH(4)] and [Na(15-crown-5)][AlH(4)], respectively, are reported, along with a topological analysis of their DFT-computed charge densities that explores the bonding between the anionic complex hydride [EH(4)](-) (E = B, Al) and the counterion [Na(15-crown-5)](+). In each case, the interaction is weak and mainly electrostatic in nature; however, notable differences are observed in the manner in which [BH(4)](-) and [AlH(4)](-) bind to the metal, which explains their different coordination modes. A range of unconventional E-H···H-C contacts is revealed to play an important role in the overall bonding and crystal packing of both complexes. These interactions can be classified as weak dihydrogen bonds based on the atoms in molecules approach.     

A hydrogen-bonded adduct containing seven-component supramolecular aggregates

The title compound is a salt, 3,6,9,16,19,22-hexaaza­tri­cyclo­[22.2.2.2^11,14]­triaconta-1(26),11(29),12,14(30),24,27-hexa­ene–3,5-di­nitro­benzoic acid–methanol (1/4/2), C₂₄H₄₂N₆⁴⁺·4C₇H₃N₂O₆⁻·2CH₄O, in which the cation lies across a centre of inversion and one of the two independent anions is positionally disordered over two sets of atom sites having equal occupancy. The components are linked by four types of N—H⃛O hydrogen bond [N⃛O 2.674 (2)–2.815 (2) Å; N—H⃛O 149–163°] and one type of O—H⃛O hydrogen bond in which the acceptor is disordered over two closely adjacent sites [O⃛O 2.67 (4) and 2.75 (4) Å; O—H⃛O 172 and 173°], forming centrosymmetric seven-component aggregates.     

Self-assembly of chiral coordination polymers and macrocycles: a metal template effect on the polymer-macrocycle equilibrium

The self-assembly of racemic and enantiopure binaphthyl-bis(amidopyridyl) ligands 1,1'-C(20)H(12){NHC(=O)-4-C(5)H(4)N}(2), 1, and 1,1'-C(20)H(12){NHC(=O)-3-C(5)H(4)N}(2), 2, with mercury(II) halides (HgX(2); X = Cl, Br, I) to form extended metal-containing arrays is described. It is shown that the self-assembly can lead to homochiral or heterochiral polymers or macrocycles, through self-recognition or self-discrimination of the ligand units, and the primary materials can further self-assemble through hydrogen bonding between amide substituents. In addition, the formation of macrocycles or polymers can be influenced by the presence or absence of excess mercury(II) halide, through a template effect, and mercury(II) halide inclusion complexes may be formed. In one case, an unusual polymeric compound was obtained, with 1 guest HgX(2) molecule for every 12 mercury halide units in the polymer.     

X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL) and X-ray absorption fine structures (XAFS) studies of gold(I) complexes with diphosphine and bipyridine ligands

Synchrotron techniques, X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL) combined with X-ray absorption fine structures (XAFS), have been used to study the electronic structure and optical properties of a series of luminescent gold(I) complexes with diphosphine and bipyridine ligands using tunable X-rays (in the regions of the C and P K-edges and the Au L3-edge) and UV from synchrotron light sources. The effects of gold-ligand and aurophilic interactions on the luminescence from these gold(I) complexes have been investigated. It is found that the luminescence from these complexes is phosphorescence, primarily due to the decay of the Au (5d) --> PR3 (pi*), metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excitation as well as contributions from the conjugated pi-system in the bipyridine ligands via the gold-nitrogen bond. The large Au 5d spin-orbit coupling enhances the intersystem crossing. The elongation of the hydrocarbon chain of the diphosphine ligand does not greatly affect the spectral features of the luminescence from the gold(I) complexes. However, the intensity of the luminescence was reduced significantly when the bipyridine ligand was replaced with 1,2-bis(4-pyridylamido)benzene. The aurophilic interaction, as investigated by EXAFS at the Au L3-edge, is shown to be only one of the factors that contribute to the luminescence of the complexes.     

Investigations on organo-sulfur-nitrogen rings and the thiocyanogen Polymer, (SCN)x

The synthesis and full characterisation of a series of 1,2,4-thiadiazoles is reported. (SCN)(x) has been studied by a variety of techniques and the data compared with 1,2,4-thiadiazole and 1,2,4-dithiazoles. The observed data suggest that the polymer consists of 1,2,4-dithiazole rings linked by nitrogen atoms. For (SCN)(x), the MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy showed a parent ion at 1149 and a series of peaks with (SCN)(2) repeat units (116 m/z); this result implies that (SCN)(2) may be the monomer unit of the polymer. Its IR spectrum shows a very broad peak with maximum at 1134 cm(-1) consisting of several overlapping peaks in the same region as ring vibrations for 1,2,4-thiadiazole and 1,2,4-dithiazole compounds. Peaks in the Raman spectrum in the range 400-480 cm(-1) support the presence of disulfide units within the polymer. The solid-state (13)C NMR (99 % (13)C-labelled) spectrum is dominated by two singlets of equal intensity at approximately 187 and 184 ppm with low intensity peaks in the range 152-172 ppm, in approximately the same range as both 1,2,4-thiadiazoles and 1,2,4-dithiazoles. The solid-state (15)N NMR (99 % (15)N labelled) spectrum displays two major peaks of similar intensity at 236.9 and 197.2 ppm, which are clearly very different environments to those observed in bis(3-bromo-1,2,4-thiadiazol-5-yl) disulfide, but similar to 1,2,4-dithiazoles. The X-ray structures of seven C-S-N systems are reported. Preliminary studies on (SeCN)(x) suggest that literature references to this polymer may be in error with the red solid actually being red selenium.     

E2(CN)2 (E = S, Se) and related compounds

A synthetic, spectroscopic, and theoretical study of Ex(CN)2 (E = S, Se; x = 1-3) is described. The X-ray structures of Se2(CN)2 and Se3(CN)2 have been determined. Se2(CN)2 crystallizes in a chiral space group with the CN groups approximately gauche.     

Homochiral and heterochiral coordination polymers and networks of silver(I)

The self-assembly of racemic and enantiopure binaphthylbis(amidopyridyl) ligands 1,1'-C(20)H(12){NHC(O)-4-C(5)H(4)N}(2), 1, and 1,1'-C(20)H(12){NHC(O)-3-C(5)H(4)N}(2), 2, with silver(I) salts (AgX; X = CF(3)CO(2), CF(3)SO(3), NO(3)) to form extended metal-containing arrays is described. It is shown that the self-assembly with racemic ligands can lead to homochiral or heterochiral polymers, through self-recognition or self-discrimination of the ligand units. The primary polymeric materials adopt helical conformations (secondary structure), and they undergo further self-assembly to form sheets or networks (tertiary structure). These secondary and tertiary structures are controlled through secondary bonding interactions between pairs of silver(I) centers, between silver cations and counteranions, or through hydrogen bonding involving amide NH groups. The self-assembly of the enantiopure ligand R-1 with silver trifluoroacetate gave a remarkable three-dimensional chiral, knitted network composed of polymer chains in four different supramolecular isomeric forms.