Structural and spectral properties of a zinc(II) coordination polymer: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Abstract

A novel 1D zinc(II) coordination polymer [Zn(bbbm)Cl2]n (where bbbm=1,4-bis(N-benzimidazolyl)butane) was synthetized by ZnCl2 and bbbm ligand under hydrothermal conditions, and its structural and spectral properties were studied by both experimental and theoretical techniques. The center zinc(II) ion displays four-coordinated in a tetrahedral geometry by two chloride anions and two N atoms of distinct bbbm ligands. Adjacent chains are further connected into a 2D layer structure through π–π stacking interactions. Vibrational frequencies of [Zn(bbbm)Cl2]n have been calculated using DFT/B3LYP/TZVP method, and well reproduced IR data. Furthermore, the vertical excitation energies from time-dependent DFT calculation confirmed that the fluorescent peaks at 385nm and 450nm could respectively be assigned to the π→π* transition within the bbbm ligands and π→n transition from chloride anion to bbbm ligand.