A semi-rigid bis(imidazolyl) ligand for the construction of nanoscopic supramolecules. From the molecular rectangle to the 1D coordination polymer

Reaction of the semi-rigid ligand 2,4-bis(1-imidazolylmethyl)-mesitylene (m-bimms) with CdCl2 afforded a boat-like molecular rectangle [Cd(m-bimms)Cl-2] . 1/2 H2O (1), with the orientation of the two imidazolyl arms of the ligand in syn-conformation and bridging chloride ions bisecting the macrocycle. Weak (ClH)-H-...-C interations further extended the dimers into 1D infinite chains with nanoscopic channels. An analogous reaction with Cd(NO3)(2) gave a 1D coordination polymer [Cd(m-bimms)(2)(NO3)(2)](n) . 2nH(2)O (2) composed of nanoscopic metallamacrocycles. where the two imidazolyl arms adopt an anti-conformation. Different anions result in different ligand conformations and thus determine the varied molecular architectures.