Organometallic silver(I) coordination polymers and supramolecular complexes based on novel multidentate thiophene- and benzenenitrile-containing symmetric and unsymmetric fulvene ligands

Seven new conjugated symmetric and unsymmetric fulvene ligands L1-L7 were synthesized. Thirteen new organometallic coordination polymers and supramolecular complexes were obtained through self-assembly based on these new fulvene ligands in the benzene/toluene mixed solvent system. Compounds 1-13 have been fully characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that the coordination chemistry of new fulvene ligands is versatile. They can adopt either a cis or a trans conformation to bind Ag(I) ion through not only the terminal -CN and thiophene functional groups but also the fulvene carbon atoms into organometallic coordination polymers or discrete complexes. In addition, the luminescent properties of L1, L3, L5, and L7 and some of their Ag(l) complexes were investigated preliminarily in EtOH and the solid state.