One-dimensional networks formed via the self-assembly of anthracenedibenzoic acid with zinc(II)

Self-assembly of metal-organic coordination polymers occurs because of enthalpically favorable interactions. In the case of the bulky 4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl) dibenzoic acid ligand (abdH(2)), we demonstrate that the presence of numerous pi-pi and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions outweigh the formation of saturated coordination complexes with zinc, leading to the formation of a dimethylformamide (DMF) solvate, namely 4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl) dibenzoic acid dimethylformamide disolvate, C28H18O4 center dot 2C(3)H(7)NO or [(abdH(2))(DMF)(2)], at low concentrations of zinc. Meanwhile, at higher zinc concentrations, the abdH(2) ligand gives rise to the nonporous one-dimensional coordination polymer catena-poly[[bis(dimethylformamide-kappa O) zinc(II)]-mu-4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)dibenzoato-kappa(2) O:O'], [Zn(C28H16O4)(C3H7NO)(2)] n or [Zn(abd)(DMF)(2)](n), when assembled in dimethylformamide, while a related compound is observed when N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) is used as the solvent, namely catenapoly[[[ bis(N, N-dimethylacetamide-kappa O) zinc(II)]-mu-4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl) dibenzoato-kappa(2) O:O'] N, N-dimethylacetamide monosolvate], {[Zn(C28H16O4)(C4H9NO)(2)]center dot C4H9NO}(n) or {[Zn(abd)(DMA)(2)] center dot DMA}(n). Attempts to use other amide-based solvents did not give rise to any other assembled structures.