Zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes with PDT: study of the effect of weak interactions on crystal packing

Two new zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes, Zn(PDT)₂(NCS)₂] (1) and Cd((PDT)₂I_1.6(H₂O)_0.4(OH)_0.4] · 0.4H₂O (2) (“PDT” is the abbreviation of 3-(2-pyridyl)-5, 6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and studied by X-ray crystallography. Zinc(II) in 1 is six coordinate ZnN₆. 2 is a co-crystal with cadmium(II) being 60% six-coordinated with a CdN₄I₂ environment and 40% seven-coordinated with a CdN₄O₂I environment. The supramolecular features in these complexes are guided/controlled by weak directional intermolecular S ··· π, C–H ··· π, C–H ··· I, and π ··· π interactions.