Two d10 Complexes Constructed From the N-Heterocycle Spacer and Benzyl-Bicarboxylate Mixed Ligands

To investigate the fundamental impact of the spacer to the weak intermolecular interactions in the molecular assembly, the authors synthesized two new complexes, namely {Cd(C10N5H9)(2)(C8H4O4)}(n) (1), and {Zn(C10N5H9)(C8H4O4)}(n) (2) (H(2)bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid; bmi = 1-((benzotriazolyl)methyl)-1H-1,3-imidazole), which were obtained by the reactions of 1-((benzotriazol-yl)methyl)-1H-1,3-imidazole (bmi) as main ligand, and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate as organic anions with Zn(II) and Cd(II) salts. The benzimidazole rings act as the directing group for pi center dot center dot center dot pi stacking interactions. Such pi center dot center dot center dot pi interactions and hydrogen bonds play important roles to extend the 1D chain structures to 3D supramolecular motifs. Additionally, both complexes exhibit strong luminescence emission in the solid state at room temperature.