1,1′‐[(Ethane‐1,2‐diyldioxy)di‐o‐phenylene]bis(indoline‐2,3‐dione) (L) and a novel [Ag2L2]2+ metallocycle based on coordination‐driven Ag—O and Ag—π bonds

1,1′‐[(Ethane‐1,2‐diyldioxy)di‐o‐phenylene]bis(indoline‐2,3‐dione), C₃₂H₂₄N₂O₆, L or (I), adopts a trans conformation with the two terminal indoline‐2,3‐dione groups located on opposite sides of the central ether bridge, as required by a centre of inversion located at the mid‐point of the ethane C—C bond. However, in the discrete binuclear Ag^I metallocycle complex salt bis{μ‐1,1′‐[(ethane‐1,2‐diyldioxy)di‐o‐phenylene]bis(indoline‐2,3‐dione)}disilver(I) bis(hexafluoridoantimonate), [Ag₂(C₃₂H₂₄N₂O₆)₂][SbF₆]₂, (II), synthesized by combination of L with AgSbF₆, L adopts a gauche conformation to bind Ag^Ivia the two indolinedione O atoms and two C atoms from the phenoxy ring. One dione O atom from the opposite side of the ether bridge completes the irregular coordination environment of each Ag^I atom. The complex is on a centre of inversion located between the Ag^I atoms. In the solid state, these binuclear [Ag₂L₂]²⁺ metallocycles stack together via intermolecular π–π interactions to generate a one‐dimensional chain motif, with the [SbF₆]⁻ counter‐ions, which are disordered, located between the chains.