Structural preferences and thermal stability of complexes with the exo-bidentate ligand 1,2-bis(2-methylimidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene

We describe a series of new coordination polymers of Cd(II), Co(II) and Ag(I) with 1,2-bis(2-methylimidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene. All complexes were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction which reveals polymeric bridging of metal centers by the ligand in all cases. The cadmium center in complex 1 has a slightly irregular octahedral geometry involving two Cl- ions and four N atoms from individual ligands, resulting in the formation of undulated (4,4) layers. In complex 2 the cobalt(II) ion is coordinated by two Cl- ions and two N atoms from separate ligands. This yields a slightly irregular tetrahedral coordination environment around the metal center and the formation of a 1D zigzag-chain structure. Each of the three Ag(I) complexes (3-5) forms an infinite 1D chain. These three complexes are similar both in conformation and packing mode despite modification of the counterions. The size of the counterion appears to affect the thermal stabilities of the resulting networks. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.