Synthesis and characterization of zinc benzoate complexes through combined solid and solution phase reactions

Abstract

A combined solid and solution phase methodology for the synthesis of a series of mononuclear and polynuclear zinc benzoate complexes is described. The substituent on the aromatic ring and the effect of solvent on deciding the composition of the complexes is presented. From the 4-substituted benzoic acids 4-methylbenzoic acid (ptolH), 4-nitrobenzoic acid (pnitrobenH) and 4-chlorobenzoic acid (pchlorbenH), the mononuclear complexes [Zn(ptol) 2(H 2O) 2], [Zn(pnitroben) 2(H 2O)(DMSO) 2] and [Zn(pchlorben) 2py) 2] (where DMSO = dimethylsulfoxide, py = pyridine) have been synthesized and structurally characterised. Zinc complexes from the reaction of zinc sulfate heptahydrate with 3-methylbenzoic acid (mtolH) and 2-methylbenzoic acid (otolH), the dinuclear complexes [Zn 2(μ 2-mtol) 4(py) 2], [Zn 2(μ 2-otol) 4(py) 2], pentanuclear complex [Zn 5(μ 2-mtol) 6(mtol) 2(μ 3-OH) 2 (py) 2] and tetranuclear complex [Zn 4(μ 2-otol) 6(μ 4-O) (DMSO) 2], have been prepared by varying the reaction conditions and the complexes have been structurally characterized.