Syntheses and structures of silver(I) complexes of 4-amino-3,5-dimethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole and 4-amino-3,5-diethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole: role of the substituents

Five silver(I) adducts of 4-amino-3,5-diethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (4-NH₂-3,5-Et₂-tz) or 4-amino-3,5-dimethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (4-NH₂-3,5-Me₂-tz), namely [Ag₄(4-NH₂-3,5-Et₂-tz)₆](ClO₄)₄ (1), [Ag(4-NH₂-3,5-Et₂-tz)₂] _n ·n(ClO₄) (2), [Ag₄(4-NH₂-3,5-Et₂-tz)₆](CF₃SO₃)₄ (3), [Ag₄(4-NH₂-3,5-Me₂-tz)₆](ClO₄)₄·4H₂O (4) and [Ag₄(4-NH₂-3,5-Me₂-tz)₆](CF₃SO₃)₄·2H₂O (5), have been prepared and structurally characterised by X-ray single crystal diffraction. Two types of Ag₄tz₆ cluster have been observed in the structures of compound 1, 3, 4 and 5, which is rationalised based on the minimisation of the steric repulsions between the substituents on the 3,5-positions of triazole ring. Compound 2 displays an infinite chain structure and may be an intermediate or a minor product in the preparation.