Ag(I) coordination polymers with flexible bis-imidazole ligands: 2D interwoven structure and wavy layer network based on silver–silver interactions

Two new coordination polymers [Ag(BIM)SO3CF3]n (1) and [Ag(2-mBIM)NO2]n (2) [wherein BIM = bis(imidazol-1-yl)-methane, 2-mBIM = bis(2-methylimidazol-1-yl) methane], were synthesized by the reactions of AgSO3CF3 with BIM and AgNO2 with 2-mBIM, respectively. They were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, TGA and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Compound 1 is an example of silver coordination network with 2D fabric structure in a “one-over/one-under” fashion through weak Ag…Ag interactions. Compound 2 adopts a wavy 2D layer network constructed through the Ag…Ag interactions between each neighboring 1D zigzag chains. TGA measurements suggest that 1 and 2 are thermally quite stable, with decomposition temperatures being 355 °C and 230 °C, respectively. Solid state luminescent spectra of compounds 1 and 2 indicate weak fluorescent emissions at ca. 345 and 409 nm, respectively.