Mechanochemical and solution preparation of the coordination polymers Ag[N(CH2CH2)3N]2[CH3COO]•5H2O and Zn[N(CH2CH2)3N]Cl2

The coordination polymer Ag[N(CH2CH2)(3)N](2)[CH3COO].5H(2)O has been obtained by co-grinding in the solid state and in the air of a stoichiometric amount of silver acetate and of [N(CH2CH2)(3)N]. Single crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction have been obtained from a water-methanol solution and used to compare calculated and experimental X-ray powder diffractograms. When ZnCl2 is used instead of AgCH3COO in the equimolar reaction with [N(CH2CH2)(3)N], the solution and solid-state treatments afford different products. Single crystals of the Zn-based coordination polymer Zn[N(CH2CH2)(3)N]Cl-2 have been obtained by layering a solution of ZnCl2 in methanol over a solution of [N(CH2CH2)(3)N] in CH2Cl2. The product of the co-grinding, identified only on the basis of X-ray powder diffraction, converts, on prolonged grinding, into the crystalline material obtained from the reaction in solution, namely anhydrous Zn[N(CH2CH2)(3)N]Cl-2.