New Molecular Rectangles and Coordination Polymers Constructed from Binuclear Phenoxo-Bridged [Cu2] and [Zn2] Tectons

The self-assembly processes between binuclear [Zn-2] and [Cu-2] complex cations and exo-bidentate ligands [trans-4,4'-azo-pyridine (azpy), 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy), 1,2-bis(4-pyridypethane (bpeta), 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (bpp)] generate two types of complexes: tetranuclear species with a rectangular topology and one-dimensional (1-D) coordination polymers: [{L-2(mu-OH)Cu-2)(mu-azPy)(2){Cu-2(mu-OH)L-2}][{L-2(mu-OH)Cu-2(H2O)}(mu-azpy)(2){(H2O)Cu-2(mu-OH)L-2}](ClO4)(8) (1); [{(LCu2)-Cu-1(H2O)(2)}- (mu-azpy)(2){Cu2L1(H2O)(2)}](ClO4)(4)center dot(azpy)center dot 2H(2)O (2); 1(infinity){Cu-2(mu-OH)L-3}(mu-bpp)](ClO4)(2) (3); 1(infinity){(LZn2)-Zn-3(mu-OH)}(mu-4,4'-bipy)}- (ClO4)2. 2H(2)O (4); 1 infinity[{(LZn2)-Zn-3(mu-OH)}(mu-bpeta)](ClO4)(2) (5a); 1(infinity)[{(LZn2)-Zn-3(mu-OH)}(mu-bpeta)](ClO4)(2). THF (5b); 1(infinity)[{(LZn2)-Zn-2(mu-OH)}-(mu-4,4'-bipy)(2)](ClO4)(2)center dot 2H(2)O (6) (H2Ln are compartmental Schiff-base ligands resulting from condensation reactions between 2,6-diformyl-p-cresol with, respectively, 1,3-diamino-propane, 2-aminoethyl-pyridine, and N,N-dimethyl-ethylenediamine). The zinc complexes exhibit luminescence properties.