A semi-rigid bis(imidazolyl) ligand for the construction of nanoscopic supramolecules. From the molecular rectangle to the 1D coordination polymer

Reaction of the semi-rigid ligand 2,4-bis(1-imidazolylmethyl)-mesitylene (m-bimms) with CdCl2 afforded a boat-like molecular rectangle [Cd(m-bimms)Cl2]2 · 1/2H2O (1), with the orientation of the two imidazolyl arms of the ligand in syn-conformation and bridging chloride ions bisecting the macrocycle. Weak Cl· · ·H—C interations further extended the dimers into 1D infinite chains with nanoscopic channels. An analogous reaction with Cd(NO3)2 gave a 1D coordination polymer [Cd(m-bimms)2(NO3)2]n · 2nH2O (2) composed of nanoscopic metallamacrocycles, where the two imidazolyl arms adopt an anti-conformation. Different anions result in different ligand conformations and thus determine the varied molecular architectures.