Homochiral and heterochiral coordination polymers and networks of silver(I)

The self-assembly of racemic and enantiopure binaphthylbis(amidopyridyl) ligands 1,1'-C20H12{NHC(O)-4-C5H4N}(2), 1, and 1,1'-C20H12{NHC(O)-3-C5H4N}(2), 2, with silver(I) salts (AgX; X = CF3CO2, CF3SO3, NO3) to form extended metal-containing arrays is described. It is shown that the self-assembly with racemic ligands can lead to homochiral or heterochiral polymers, through self-recognition or self-discrimination of the ligand units. The primary polymeric materials adopt helical conformations (secondary structure), and they undergo further self-assembly to form sheets or networks (tertiary structure). These secondary and tertiary structures are controlled through secondary bonding interactions between pairs of silver(I) centers, between silver cations and counteranions, or through hydrogen bonding involving amide NH groups. The self-assembly of the enantiopure ligand R-1 with silver trifluoroacetate gave a remarkable three-dimensional chiral, knitted network composed of polymer chains in four different supramolecular isomeric forms.