Synthesis, structures and properties of macrocyclic nickel(II) supramolecules with imidazole pendants

Two new nickel(II) complexes with the composition [Ni(L+H)(CH3CN)2](ClO4)3 (1) and [Ni(L)(tp)]·6H2O (2), (L = 3,10-bis{3-(1-imidazolyl)propyl}-1,3,5,8,10,12-hexaazacyclotetradecane, tp = terephthalate) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by a combination of analytical, spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction methods. The structure of 1 consists of monomeric cations of the formula [Ni(L+H)(CH3CN)2]3+ and perchlorate ions. The nickel(II) ion is six-coordinate with bonds to the four nitrogen atoms of the macrocycle and two nitrogen atoms of the axial acetonitrile ligands. One of the protonated imidazole pendants of the macrocycle is hydrogen bonded to the imidazole group of the neighboring nickel(II) macrocycle, forming an undulated 1D supramolecule. Then, the two 1D supramolecular chains are further interconnected by C–H···π interactions between the methyl group of the acetonitrile ligand and one of the imidazole groups to form a 2D double stranded supramolecular polymer. In the structure of 2, the 1D coordination polymer is formed with nickel(II) macrocycles and bridging terephthalate ions, where each 1D chain is interconnected with π–π interactions of pendant imidazole moieties of the macrocycles, resulting in the formation of a 2D supramolecule.