Sonochemical synthesis of two nanostructured silver(I) coordination polymers based on semi-rigid bis(benzimidazole) ligands

Nanoparticles of two silver(I) coordination polymers (CPs), [Ag-2(L1)(2)(DCTP)(n) (1) and [Ag-2(L2)(DCTP)(n) (2) (L1 = 1,3-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazol-1-yhnethypbenzene, L2 = 1,4-bis(benzimidazol-1-yl)-2-butene, H2DCTP = 2,5-dichloroterephthalic acid), were synthesized by the sonochemical approach and hydrothermal method. Both CPs were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). CP 1 exhibits a 2D 4-connected sql net with the point symbol {4(4).6(2)}. While CP 2 displays a 2D 3,4-connected 3,4L13 net with the point symbol {4.6(2)}(2){4(2).6(2).8(2)}. The structural diversity indicates that semi-rigid bis(benzimidazole) co-ligands play important roles in tuning the structures of the mixed Ag(I) CPs. The ultrasound irradiation time, temperature, and power showed significant effects on the morphology and growth process of the nanoparticles of two silver(I) CPs. The luminescence and photocatalytic properties of the nanoparticles of CPs 1-2 on the degradation of methyl blue (MB) were also investigated in detail.