Syntheses, characterization, and crystal structures of two zinc(II) carboxylates containing pyridine

Abstract

Two organic–inorganic hybrid compounds [Zn₂(µ-4-OBz)₄(py)₂] · 0.5CH₃OH (1) and [Zn(2-Cl-OBz)₂(py)₂] (2) (OBz = benzoate; 2-Cl-OBz = 2-chlorobenzoate; py = pyridine) have been synthesized from aqueous methanol at room temperature and characterized by analytical, spectroscopic, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 crystallizes in space group P2₁/c and exhibits a dinuclear paddle-wheel-like structure with Zn—Zn separation of 2.9602(7) Å. Zn–O distances in 1 range from 2.0272(18) to 2.057(2) Å and Zn–N distances are 2.043(5) and 2.004(9) Å. Each Zn has a square-pyramidal geometry bridged by four carboxylates in the basal plane with the pyridine at the apex. The dinuclear unit also contains 0.5 methanol. Compound 2 crystallizes in space group P 1 and consists of discrete molecules having a distorted tetrahedral environment around zinc; 2-chlorobenzoate and pyridine are monodentate. The observed Zn–O distances in 2 are 2.0255(19) and 2.0377(18) Å and Zn–N distances are 1.9535(14) and 1.9587(16) Å. Weak C–H—O and π–π stacking interactions between 2-chlorobenzoate and pyridine are operative in the crystal lattice of 2. Complex 2 on excitation at 340 nm exhibits luminescence at room temperature arising probably due to intraligand π–π* transition.

Keywords:

• Synthesis
• Characterization
• Crystal structure
• Organic-inorganic hybrid

Acknowledgments

Financial assistance from UGC, New Delhi (vide F.NO.34/331/2008(SR) dt. 26.12.08) is gratefully acknowledged. One of the authors, D. Dey, is grateful to the authority of Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, for providing University fellowship (F.TU/REG/PhD/02/2007).