Two zinc(II) coordination complexes based on an asymmetric multidentate ligand: syntheses,structures, selective fluorescence sensing of iron(III) ions and thermal analyses

The rational selection of ligands is vitally important in the construction of coordination complexes. Two novel Zn^II complexes, namely bis(acetato‐κO)bis1‐(1H‐benzotriazol‐1‐ylmethyl)‐2‐propyl‐1H‐imidazole‐κN³]zinc(II) monohydrate, Zn(C₁₃H₁₅N₅)₂(C₂H₃O₂)₂]·H₂O, ( 1 ), and bis(azido‐κN¹)bis1‐(1H‐benzotriazol‐1‐ylmethyl)‐2‐propyl‐1H‐imidazole‐κN³]zinc(II), Zn(C₁₃H₁₅N₅)₂(N₃)₂], ( 2 ), constructed from the asymmetric multidentate imidazole ligand, have been synthesized under mild conditions and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Both complexes exhibit a three‐dimensional supramolecular network directed by different intermolecular interactions between discrete mononuclear units. The complexes were also investigated by fluorescence and thermal analyses. The experimental results show that ( 1 ) is a promising fluorescence sensor for detecting Fe³⁺ ions and ( 2 ) is effective as an accelerator of the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate.