The role of intermolecular interactions in the assembly of Zinc(II) and Lead(II) complexes containing carboxylate ligand and their conversion to metal oxides

Abstract

Zinc (1) and lead (2) complexes of p-toluic acid and m-toluic acid ligands, containing one carboxylate donor group, have been prepared and characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. The crystal structure of complexes was elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction. For both of the obtained complexes, intermolecular interactions, contributing to the formation of their supermolecular structures, were investigated. The study of X-ray single crystal diffraction revealed that complex 1 is a mononuclear, containing one zinc ion, one water molecule and one carboxlate ligand, but in complex 2, Pb(II) ions are bridged by carboxylate ligands to form an interesting straight chain type 1D coordination polymer. The crystal structure of these complexes are stabilized by strong hydrogen bonds, CH···π and π···π stacking interactions, forming two and three-dimensional networks. Hirshfeld surface analysis and associated two dimensional fingerprint plots of complexes were used as theoretical approach to assess driving force for crystal structure formation via the intermolecular interactions in the crystal lattices of synthesized complexes. On the other hand, synthesized complexes 1 and 2 were used as suitable precursors to the preparation of zinc(II) oxide and lead(II) oxide nanomaterials (NPs). The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, dynamic light scattering and UV–vis techniques.