Preparation and structure of three NHC metal (Ag(I) and Hg(II)) complexes as well as the selective recognition of complex 1 for dihydrogen phosphate

Preparation and structure of three NHC metal (Ag(I) and Hg(II)) complexes as well as the selective recognition of complex 1 for dihydrogen phosphate

Three NHC silver(I) and mercury(II) complexes 13 were prepared and characterized, and the selective recognition of 1 for H2PO4 was investigated.


Abstract

The preparation of three metal (Ag(I) and Hg(II)) complexes based on bis-carbene ligands and correlative three precursors H 2 L n ·(PF 6 ) 2 (n = 1–3) were reported. In each cationic moiety of complexes 1 and 2 and the monomer of complex 3, two Ag+ (or Hg2+) ions and two L n (n = 1–3) formed one 36-membered macrometallocycle. There existed π–π interactions between two naphthalenes in each cationic moiety of 1 and 2. The monomers of 3 were connected together through HgO bonds to form 1D chain. In the crystal packings of 13, two-dimensional and three-dimensional supramolecular structures were formed through CH˙˙˙π contacts and CH˙˙˙F H bonds. Additionally, the recognition capacity of 1 for H2PO4 was studied via fluorescence spectra, UV/Vis spectra, HRMS, 1H NMR titrations, and infrared (IR) spectra.