Supramolecular assembly and structural transformation of d10-metal complexes containing (aza-15-crown-5)dithiocarbamate

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry 2022-11, Vol.51 (44), p.16973-16981
• Main Authors: Tzeng, Biing-Chiau, Chung-Lun, Wu, Jun-Wei, Hung, Su-Ying, Chien, Gene-Hsiang, Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coordination compounds; Coordination polymers; Copper; Crown ethers; Crystals; Heating; Hydrogen bonding; Lithium ions; Metal ions; Oxygen atoms; Rubidium; Silver nitrate; Single crystals; Sodium; Transformations
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/d2dt02768b

The reaction of potassium (aza-15-crown-5)dithiocarbamate (KO4NCS2) and (Me2S)AuCl gave the dinuclear complex [Au(O4NCS2)]2, which underwent structural transformation upon heating to rearrange into the hexanuclear complex [Au(O4NCS2)]6. Under similar reaction conditions, KO4NCS2 reacted with AgNO3 or [Cu(CH3CN)4]ClO4 to give the 1-D coordination polymer [Ag(O4NCS2)]n (1) and the tetranuclear complex [Cu(O4NCS2)]4 (2), respectively. It is noted that upon heating a similar structural transformation process occurs from tetranuclear complex 2 to the octanuclear complex [Cu(O4NCS2)]8 (2′), connected by a weak Cu⋯S contact of 2.846 Å, and it has been isolated and corroborated by powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies as well. Moreover, a variety of MO4NCS2 salts (M = Li+, Na+, K+ and Rb+) were used to react with AgNO3 to construct a series of coordination architectures: [LiAg(O4NCS2)2(μ-H2O)0.5]2 (3), {Na[Ag(O4NCS2)2]}n (4), {K[Ag(O4NCS2)2]}n (5) and {Rb[Ag(O4NCS2)2]}n (6). The smallest Li+ ion only coordinates with four oxygen atoms from the same azacrown ether ring and one H2O molecule, leading to a 1-D hydrogen-bonded chain with another azacrown ether ring for complex 3. The larger Na+ ion coordinates with seven oxygen atoms from two different crown ether rings, leading to a 1-D chain for complex 4. However, the largest K+ and Rb+ ions constitute a 1-D framework, except that each metal ion coordinates with eight oxygen atoms from two different crown ether rings, featuring a 1-D helical chain for complexes 5 and 6. Hence, the different sizes of alkaline metal ions exert a dramatic effect on the structural motifs of complexes 3–6. Remarkably, the dithiocarbamate moieties adopt μ2-bridging ([Au(O4NCS2)]2 and [Au(O4NCS2)]6), μ3- and μ4-bridging (1–2) and chelate forms (3–6) in the structural backbones.