Coordination polymers from silver(I) and bifunctional pyridyl ligands

Coordination polymers and a macrocycle formed from the reactions between flexible bis(2-pyridyl) ligands and AgCF₃SO₃ are reported. The type of structure formed depends on the choice of ligand and the stoichiometry of the reaction. When 1 equiv of 1,4-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy) benzene (L2), 4,4′-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)biphenyl (L4), or bis((4-pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)phenyl)methane (L5) is used, 1D chain coordination polymers held together via Ag-N bonds are generated. When a 2:1 ratio of L2 and silver ion is used, a 2D porous network is formed. The reaction between silver ions with a mixture of ligands (L1 and L2 in 1:1 ratio, L1 = 1,4-bis((pyridin-2-yl-methyl)thio)benzene) results in a novel 1D ABAB type coordination copolymer where L1 and L2 act as a bis-bidentate and a bis-monodentate ligand, respectively. The reaction of 1-(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)-4- ((pyridin-2-yl-methyl)thio)benzene (L3) with silver ions in a 1:1 ratio gives a bimetallic macrocycle rather than a polymeric species. Structural analyses of the polymeric compounds suggest that interactions between the aromatic rings play a significant role in stabilizing the polymeric structures.