Syntheses,crystal structures and properties of two cadmium coordination polymers containing bis (2-methylimidazol-1-yl)methane(2-mBIM) and bis (imidazol-1-yl)methane (BIM) ligands

Coordination polymers, {[Cd(2-mBIM)₃](ClO₄)₂} _n (1) and [Cd(BIM)₂(NO₃)₂] _n (2), have been prepared from the reaction of bis(2-methylimidazol-1-yl)methane(2-mBIM) with Cd(ClO₄)₂ and bis(imidazol-1-yl)methane (BIM) with Cd(NO₃)₂ in ethanol and water, respectively. Their structures were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Compound 1 crystallizes in the rhombohedral space group R-3c with a = b = 12.3617(5) Å, c = 38.896(3) Å, γ = 120°, V = 5147.5(5) ų, z = 6. The Cd^II occupies a crystallographic inversion center and is coordinated by six N atoms from six distinct 2-mBIM ligands to form a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Each 2-mBIM is coordinated to two Cd^II cations, linking alternatively four Cd^II cations, resulting in a 32-membered M₄L₄ macrometallacycle. Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m with a = 14.400(3) Å, b = 9.3894(18) Å, c = 8.6926(17) Å, β = 123.499(2)°, V = 980.1(3) ų, z = 2. The Cd coordinates to four nitrogen atoms from four different BIM and two nitrates to form a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The BIM ligands bridge to form a 1-D infinite double-bridged chain structure with 16-membered M₂L₂ macrometallacyclic structural units.