Synthesis, crystal structure, and blue photoluminescence of a 3D coordination polymer based on a Ag₁₀ cluster with the versatile 2-mercapto-5-benzimidazolesulfonic acid ligand

Abstract

The solvothermal reaction of 2-mercapto-5-benzimidazolesulfonic acid (H₃MBZD), which has imidazole, –SH, and –SO₃H groups, with Ag₂SO₄ led to the 3D coordination polymer {Ag₅[(HMBZD)₂(H₂MBZD)(H₂O)]} _n (1). X-ray single-crystal analysis showed that five independent Ag atoms are connected by the bridging mercapto group to generate asymmetric pentanuclear clusters, which are joined together to form a large Ag₁₀ ringed subunit. The Ag₁₀ subunits are linked together by the –SO₃H groups to give the complex 3D framework. Strong blue photoluminescence of 1 can be assigned to the intraligand fluorescent emission.

Keywords:

• Coordination polymer
• 2-Mercapto-5-benzimidazolesulfonic acid
• Ag₁₀ Cluster
• Blue luminescence

Acknowledgments

This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21271123), the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (2010JQ2010), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (GK200902011 and GK201102004).