Synthesis and crystal structures of three novel coordination polymers generated from AgCN and AgSCN with flexible N-donor ligands

The solvothermal reactions of AgX (X=CN, SCN) with mbix [mbix=1,3-bis(imidazole-1-yl-methyl)benzene] or bix [bix=1, 4bis(imidazole-1-yl-methyl)benzene] afforded the polymers [AgCN(mbix)](n) (1), [(AgCN)(4)(bix)(2)](n) (2) and [(AgSCN)(2)(mbix)](n) (3). They were all characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray single-crystal analysis. The structure of 1 contains a 3-fold-interpenetrated 2D network, while that of 2 exhibits 2-fold parallel interpenetration. There is no interpenetration observed in 3. Compounds 2 and 3 show 3D supramolecular structures built from 2D networks through weak pi center dot center dot center dot pi interactions. The photoluminescent properties of the present compounds were also investigated. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.