Crystal Packing Motifs Research Articles

Theoretical and experimental investigations on structural, electronic and biological properties of novel carbazate containing furaldehyde based imines

A convenient and facile synthesis of tert‑butyl (E)-2-(furan-2-ylmethylene) hydrazine-1-carboxylate (a) and ethyl (E)-2-(furan-2-ylmethylene) hydrazine-1-carboxylate (b) were accomplished by refluxing t‑butyl/ethyl carbazate with a furaldehyde in solvent ethanol. The interactions between and within two synthesised imine compounds were characterised and identified by the utilisation of spectroscopic techniques in conjunction with X-ray crystallography and theoretical computations. Compound a crystallises in orthorhombic crystal system with Pbca space group, while as compound b crystalizes in monoclinic crystal systems with space groups Cc. The presence of CH…π stacking and π…π stacking interactions are distinguishing characteristic of crystal packing in both target compounds. Their solid-state behaviour was also studied using Hirshfeld surfaces. Crystal packing motifs were investigated with the aid of Hirshfeld surface fingerprint plots. Furthermore, investigations related to calculations of the molecular electrostatic potential and frontier molecular orbital (highest occupied-lowest unoccupied) were carried out for the optimised structure. Finally, Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) (PDB-ID 6KEU) protein was used to conduct molecular docking investigations of compound a and b.

Intermolecular interactions in 4-bromoaryl derived aldimines: X-ray structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis, DFT and molecular docking studies

A convenient and facile synthesis of (E)-N-(4-bromophenyl)-1-phenylmethanimine (b), (E)-N-(4-bromophenyl)-1-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) methanimine (c) and (E)-4-(((4-bromophenyl)imino) methyl)-2-methoxyphenol (d) was accomplished by refluxing 4-bromo aniline(a) with an appropriate aldehyde in solvent methanol. X-ray crystallography, theoretical computations, and spectroscopic techniques were utilized to describe and detect interactions between and among various groups of synthesized imines (b-d). Compound b-d crystallize in monoclinic crystal systems with space groups Pnma, P21, P21/c, and P21/c, respectively, whereas compound a crystallize in orthorhombic crystal systems. To identify the intermolecular interactions, Hirshfeld surface analysis was also used, emphasizing the importance of hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, and the impact of substituents. Hirshfeld surface fingerprint plots were used to study crystal packing motifs. Energy frameworks examined the electrostatic energy input that stabilizes solid state structures. Additionally, studies pertaining to the optimization of the structure, frontier molecular orbital (highest occupied–lowest unoccupied) and molecular electrostatic potential calculations were conducted. Lastly, using the membrane protein of the naturally occurring fungus Candida albicans SC5314, molecular docking investigations of compounds a–d were conducted (PDB-ID 7RJE)

A Theoretical Investigation on the Properties of Charge Transport of Hexaazatrinaphthylene Derivatives

AbstractA hexaazatrinaphthylene [HAT] is a well‐known halogenated perylene diimide compound recognized for photochemical stability, high electron affinity, easy functionalization, and high conductivity. Based on density functional theory, optoelectronic and charge transport properties of HAT derivatives with electron‐donating, electron‐withdrawing, and push‐pull substituents, were investigated. The impact of substituting electron‐withdrawing groups (EWG), electron‐donating groups (EDG), and push‐pull substituents on various aspects, including molecular structure, frontier molecular orbitals, ionization energy, electron affinity, reorganization energy, crystal packing, and charge carrier mobility, is investigated. A crystal structure simulation method is employed to optimize potential arrangements of crystal packing for the molecules under examination. The presence of EWG, EDG, and push‐pull substitutions significantly affects the energy and distribution of electron density in the frontier molecular orbitals, leading to alterations in the absorption spectrum and charge transport properties. When adding various substituents to the core system, the different crystal packing motifs and varied intermolecular interactions of the examined molecules result in noticeably different transfer integrals. Due to higher hole reorganization energy and weak HOMO orbital overlapping, HAT derivative molecules exhibit better electron mobility. Among the studied molecules, HAT‐F and HAT‐F‐OCH3 molecules demonstrate better electron mobility with values of 0.49 and 2.36 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively, and established the n‐channel characteristics.

Porous Metal-Organic Cages Based on Rigid Bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene Type Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Gas Uptake Properties.

Three new ligands containing a bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxydiimide unit have been used to assemble lantern-type metal-organic cages with the general formula [Cu4 L4 ]. Functionalisation of the backbone of the ligands leads to distinct crystal packing motifs between the three cages, as observed with single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The three cages vary in their gas sorption behaviour, and the capacity of the materials for CO2 is found to depend on the activation conditions: softer activation conditions lead to superior uptake, and one of the cages displays the highest BET surface area found for lantern-type cages so far.

Structure of racemic duloxetine hydro-chloride.

Duloxetine hydro-chloride (trade name Cymbalta) is marketed as a single enanti-omer (S)-N-methyl-3-(naphthalen-1-yl-oxy)-3-(thio-phen-2-yl)propyl-am-in-ium chloride, C18H20NOS+·Cl-, which is twice as effective as the (R)-enanti-omer in serotonin uptake. Here, we report the crystal structure of duloxetine hydro-chloride in its racemic form (space group Pna21), where it shows significant differences in the mol-ecular conformation and packing in its extended structure compared to the previously reported (S)-enanti-omer crystal structure. Mol-ecules of this type, comprising aromatic groups with a single side chain terminated in a protonated secondary amine, are commonly found in active anti-depressants. A Cambridge Structural Database survey of mol-ecules with these features reveals a strong correlation between side-chain conformation and the crystal packing: an extended side chain leads to mol-ecules packed into separated layers of hydro-phobic and ionic hydro-philic phases. By comparison, mol-ecules with bent side chains, such as racemic duloxetine hydro-chloride, lead to crystal-packing motifs where an ionic hydro-philic phase is encapsulated within a hydro-phobic shell.

Organic Binary and Ternary Cocrystal Engineering Based on Halogen Bonding Aimed at Room-Temperature Phosphorescence.

Recently, there has been intense interest in pure organic room-temperature phosphorescence (ORTP) from cocrystals composed of 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (DITFB) and a variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or their derivatives. To expand the possibility of halogen bonding-based cocrystals, the relationship between the crystal packing motifs and ORTP characteristics in binary cocrystals composed of DITFB and PAHs of phenanthrene (Phen), chrysene (Chry), and pyrene (Pyr), respectively, is investigated. The σ-hole···π and π-hole···π interactions determine not only the crystal packing motifs but also photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs). The Phen-DITFB and Chry-DITFB binary cocrystals withσ-hole···πinteractions show higher PLQY compared with the Pyr-DITFB binary cocrystal with π-hole···πinteraction. Further, to clarify the effect of crystal structures on PLQY, ternary cocrystals are prepared by partially doping Pyr into Phen-DITFB. The crystal packing motif of the ternary cocrystal originates from a Phen-DITFB cocrystal with σ-hole···π interaction, and some of the Phen sites are randomly replaced with Pyr molecules. The ORTP emission is derived from Pyr. The maximum PLQY is >20% due to suppressing nonradiative decay by changing the crystal packing motif.

Co-crystals of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and 9H-carbazole with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone acceptor: Varieties in crystal packing, Hirshfeld surface analysis and quantum-chemical studies

Co-crystals formed by polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) chrysene, benz(a)anthracene, triphenylene(9,10-benzophenanthrene), benzo(a)pyrene, dibenz[a,c]anthracene, and 9H-carbazole as π-electron-donor (D) molecules, with π-electron acceptor, 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) were synthesized, and their crystal structures were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. All co-crystals exhibit 1:1 donor / acceptor ratio and adopt mixed-stacking motifs. The donor(D)-acceptor (DDQ) π-π interactions in stacks are complemented by different sets of D…D, D…DDQ and DDQ…DDQ intermolecular interactions between stacks whose diversity originates from different degree of D/DDQ mismatch and manifests in dissimilar crystal packing motifs. The parallel face-to-face stacking was registered in chrysene-DDQ, while benz(a)anthracene-DDQ reveals brickwork crystal packing with significant parallel slippage. The rest four co-crystals show fairly different herringbone-type crystal packing with rearrangement of intermolecular interactions. The distribution of intermolecular contacts and impact of π-π interactions were evaluated through Hirshfeld surface analysis. Molecular orbital energies as well as bandgaps were calculated using DFT. Degree of charge-transfer was estimated based on bond length distribution in the acceptor molecule for each of the co-crystals.

Nanostructured intermetallics: from rational synthesis to energy electrocatalysis

Intermetallics are a large family of structurally ordered alloys that combines a metal element with other metal/metalloid elements with a clearly defined stoichiometric ratio. Intermetallics possess abundant crystal structures and atomic packing motifs, giving rise to a great variety of electronic configurations and surface adsorption properties. The wide electronic and geometric diversity makes intermetallics a highly promising population for discovering advanced materials for various catalytic applications. This review presents recent advances in the reaction synthesis of intermetallic materials at the nanoscale and their energy-related electrocatalytic applications. Initially, we introduce general principles for the formation of stable intermetallic structures. Subsequently, we elaborate on common synthetic strategies of nanostructured intermetallics, such as thermal annealing, wet-chemical methods, metallothermic reduction, and template-directed synthesis. Furthermore, we discuss the wide employment of these intermetallic nanocatalysts in many different kinds of electrocatalytic applications, as well as highlight the theoretical and experimental evidence for establishing a reasonable relationship between atomic arrangement and catalytic activity. Finally, we propose some perspectives for future developments of intermetallic preparation and catalytic applications.

A data-driven and topological mapping approach for the a priori prediction of stable molecular crystalline hydrates

Predictions of the structures of stoichiometric, fractional, or nonstoichiometric hydrates of organic molecular crystals are immensely challenging due to the extensive search space of different water contents, host molecular placements throughout the crystal, and internal molecular conformations. However, the dry frameworks of these hydrates, especially for nonstoichiometric or isostructural dehydrates, can often be predicted from a standard anhydrous crystal structure prediction (CSP) protocol. Inspired by developments in the field of drug binding, we introduce an efficient data-driven and topologically aware approach for predicting organic molecular crystal hydrate structures through a mapping of water positions within the crystal structure. The method does not require a priori specification of water content and can, therefore, predict stoichiometric, fractional, and nonstoichiometric hydrate structures. This approach, which we term a mapping approach for crystal hydrates (MACH), establishes a set of rules for systematic determination of favorable positions for water insertion within predicted or experimental crystal structures based on considerations of the chemical features of local environments and void regions. The proposed approach is tested on hydrates of three pharmaceutically relevant compounds that exhibit diverse crystal packing motifs and void environments characteristic of hydrate structures. Overall, we show that our mapping approach introduces an advance in the efficient performance of hydrate CSP through generation of stable hydrate stoichiometries at low cost and should be considered an integral component for CSP workflows.

De novo determination of mosquitocidal Cry11Aa and Cry11Ba structures from naturally-occurring nanocrystals

Cry11Aa and Cry11Ba are the two most potent toxins produced by mosquitocidal Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and jegathesan, respectively. The toxins naturally crystallize within the host; however, the crystals are too small for structure determination at synchrotron sources. Therefore, we applied serial femtosecond crystallography at X-ray free electron lasers to in vivo-grown nanocrystals of these toxins. The structure of Cry11Aa was determined de novo using the single-wavelength anomalous dispersion method, which in turn enabled the determination of the Cry11Ba structure by molecular replacement. The two structures reveal a new pattern for in vivo crystallization of Cry toxins, whereby each of their three domains packs with a symmetrically identical domain, and a cleavable crystal packing motif is located within the protoxin rather than at the termini. The diversity of in vivo crystallization patterns suggests explanations for their varied levels of toxicity and rational approaches to improve these toxins for mosquito control.

Acene-Extended Triptycenes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Singlet Exciton Fission Properties.

Three acene-extended triptycenes, TIPS-Antrip, TIPS-Tetrip, and TIPS-Pentrip, which contain TIPS-ethynyl functionalized anthracene, tetracene, and pentacene as subunits, respectively, are synthesized and characterized. It is found that the optoelectronic properties and crystal packing motifs could be modulated by changing the subunits. A preliminary exploration of the excited-state behavior of these molecules indicates that TIPS-Tetrip and TIPS-Pentrip exhibit intramolecular singlet fission (iSF).

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs–1-Phenylethylamine Diastereomeric Salts: A Systematic Solid-State Investigation

The solid-state investigation of the diastereomeric salts (S)-ibuprofen (S-Ibu), (S)-naproxen, (S-Nap), and (S)-ketoprofen (S-Ket) with (R)-(+)- and (S)-(−)-1-phenylethylamine, R-PEA, and S-PEA respectively, has been carried out by using a combination of experimental and in-silico tools. The focus was on their crystal packing and on the stability/transformation of their solid forms under different experimental conditions with the final aim of extracting useful information on the forces/features which could be exploited for the chiral separation of the corresponding racemic compounds. All the salts are 21-column crystals, each column consisting of API and 1-phenylethylamine ions assembled via the 1-phenylethylammonium-carboxylate supramolecular heterosynthon which originates a R43 (10) pattern, the intercolumns contacts being definitely weaker. In spite of an overall similarity in the crystal packing forces and motifs of the anhydrous salts, the temperature stability range suggests that the homochiral species are the most stable. The fact that the homochiral salt of S-Ket (S-Ket_S-PEA) is stable toward the hydration, at variance with the heterochiral one (S-Ket_R-PEA), further confirms this hypothesis. On the other hand, preliminary sorption tests show that S-Ket and S-Ibu preferentially capture the homochiral PEA (S-Nap is not selective). This behavior has been correlated to the almost planar boundary surfaces which characterize and differentiate the 21 sheets in S-Ket_S-PEA and S-Ibu_S-PEA salts with respect to the corresponding heterochiral ones.

Toward an Understanding of the Propensity for Crystalline Hydrate Formation by Molecular Compounds. Part 2.

The propensity of molecular organic compounds to form stoichiometric or nonstoichiometric crystalline hydrates remains a challenging aspect of crystal engineering and is of practical relevance to fields such as pharmaceutical science. In this work, we address the propensity for hydrate formation of a library of eight compounds comprised of 5- and 6-membered N-heterocyclic aromatics classified into three subgroups: linear dipyridyls, substituted Schiff bases, and tripodal molecules. Each molecular compound studied possesses strong hydrogen bond acceptors and is devoid of strong hydrogen bond donors. Four methods were used to screen for hydrate propensity using the anhydrate forms of the molecular compounds in our library: water slurry under ambient conditions, exposure to humidity, aqueous solvent drop grinding (SDG), and dynamic water vapor sorption (DVS). In addition, crystallization from mixed solvents was studied. Water slurry, aqueous SDG, and exposure to humidity were found to be the most effective methods for hydrate screening. Our study also involved a structural analysis using the Cambridge Structural Database, electrostatic potential (ESP) maps, full interaction maps (FIMs), and crystal packing motifs. The hydrate propensity of each compound studied was compared to a compound of the same type known to form a hydrate through a previous study of ours. Out of the eight newly studied compounds (herein numbered 4–11), three Schiff bases were observed to form hydrates. Three crystal structures (two hydrates and one anhydrate) were determined. Compound 6 crystallized as an isolated site hydrate in the monoclinic space group P21/a, while 7 and 10 crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/c as a channel tetrahydrate and an anhydrate, respectively. Whereas we did not find any direct correlation between the number of H–bond acceptors and either hydrate propensity or the stoichiometry of the resulting hydrates, analysis of FIMs suggested that hydrates tend to form when the corresponding anhydrate structure does not facilitate intermolecular interactions.

The crystal packing and slip plane analysis in mechanical properties improvement of mefenamic acid by cocrystallization with nicotinamide coformer

Mefenamic acid is an analgesic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is categorized as Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) class II drug. Cocrystallization of mefenamic acid (MFA) with nicotinamide (NIC) has been reported to enhance the solubility of MFA for about 2.56 times higher than pure MFA. As a part of MFA-NIC development in pharmaceutical dosage form, we reported the improvement of mechanical properties of MFA-NIC cocrystal based on the presence of slip planes in crystal structure. The research was initially by synthesizing and characterizing the cocrystal by using X-ray diffraction analysis, and was followed by the investigation of the mechanical properties of MFA and its cocrystal, i.e. tensile strength and deformation parameter. The correlation of crystal structure with mechanical properties was determined by crystal packing motif and slip plane analysis from single crystal data by using Mercury 3.6. The tensile strength of MFA was acceptance at 20.0 MPa, and dropped at more than 25.0 MPa. A better tableting performance was observed in MFA-NIC cocrystal which had the tensile strength 1.5 times higher than MFA at 12.5 MPa and gradually increased with an increasing pressure up to 2.5 times at 22.5 MPa. The flat slip plane of MFA-NIC cocrystal was predicted as the key factor in the improvement of its mechanical properties, compared to zigzag slip plane of MFA. In conclusion, MFA-NIC cocrystal had the better mechanical properties than pure MFA due to its flat slip plane and it becomes potential to be explored in further development of solid dosage form.

Molecular packing-dependent exciton dynamics in functionalized anthradithiophene derivatives: From solutions to crystals.

Understanding the impact of inter-molecular orientation on the optical properties of organic semiconductors is important for designing next-generation organic (opto)electronic and photonic devices. However, fundamental aspects of how various features of molecular packing in crystalline systems determine the nature and dynamics of excitons have been a subject of debate. Toward this end, we present a systematic study of how various molecular crystal packing motifs affect the optical properties of a class of high-performance organic semiconductors: functionalized derivatives of fluorinated anthradithiophene. The absorptive and emissive species present in three such derivatives (exhibiting "brickwork," "twisted-columnar," and "sandwich-herringbone" motifs, controlled by the side group R) were analyzed both in solution and in single crystals, using various modalities of optical and photoluminescence spectroscopy, revealing the nature of these excited states. In solution, in the emission band, two states were identified: a Franck-Condon state present at all concentrations and an excimer that emerged at higher concentrations. In single crystal systems, together with ab initio calculations, it was found in the absorptive band that Frenkel and Charge Transfer (CT) excitons mixed due to nonvanishing CT integrals in all derivatives, but the amount of admixture and exciton delocalization depended on the packing, with the "sandwich-herringbone" packing motif least conducive to delocalization. Three emissive species in the crystal phase were also identified: Frenkel excitons, entangled triplet pairs 1(TT) (which are precursors to forming free triplet states via singlet fission), and self-trapped excitons (STEs, similar in origin to excimers present in concentrated solution). The "twisted-columnar" packing motif was most conducive to the formation of Frenkel excitons delocalized over 4-7 molecules depending on the temperature. These delocalized Frenkel states were dominant across the full temperature range (78 K-293 K), though at lower temperatures, the entangled triplet states and STEs were present. In the derivative with the "brickwork" packing, all three emissive species were observed across the full temperature range and, most notably, the 1(TT) state was present at room temperature. Finally, the derivative with the "sandwich-herringbone" packing exhibited localized Frenkel excitons and had a strong propensity for self-trapped exciton formation even at higher temperatures. In this derivative, no formation of the 1(TT) state was observed. The temperature-dependent dynamics of these emissive states are reported, as well as their origin in fundamental inter-molecular interactions.

Cracking under Internal Pressure: Photodynamic Behavior of Vinyl Azide Crystals through N2 Release.

When exposed to UV light, single crystals of the vinyl azides 3-azido-1-phenylpropenone (1a), 3-azido-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)propenone (1b), and 3-azido-1-(4-chlorophenyl)propenone (1c) exhibit dramatic mechanical effects by cracking or bending with the release of N2. Mechanistic studies using laser flash photolysis, supported by quantum mechanical calculations, show that each of the vinyl azides degrades through a vinylnitrene intermediate. However, despite having very similar crystal packing motifs, the three compounds exhibit distinct photomechanical responses in bulk crystals. While the crystals of 1a delaminate and release gaseous N2 indiscriminately under paraffin oil, the crystals of 1b and 1c visibly expand, bend, and fracture, mainly along specific crystallographic faces, before releasing N2. The photochemical analysis suggests that the observed expansion is due to internal pressure exerted by the gaseous product in the crystal lattices of these materials. Lattice energy calculations, supported by nanoindentation experiments, show significant differences in the respective lattice energies. The calculations identify critical features in the crystal structures of 1b and 1c where elastic energy accumulates during gas release, which correspond to the direction of the observed cracks. This study highlights the hitherto untapped potential of photochemical gas release to elicit a photomechanical response and motility of photoreactive molecular crystals.

Seven Zn(II) and Cd(II) 1D coordination polymers based on azine donor linkers and decorated with 2-thiophenecarboxylate: Syntheses, structural parallels, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and spectroscopic and inclusion properties

Seven mixed-ligand 1D coordination polymers [Zn2(4-bphz)(2-tpc)4]n (1), [Zn2(4-bpmhz)(2-tpc)4]n (2), [Cd(4-bphz)2(2-tpc)2]n (3), [Zn(3-bphz)(2-tpc)2]n (4), [Zn(3-bpmhz)(2-tpc)2]n (5), [Cd(4-bpmhz)(2-tpc)2]n·0.5n(4-bpmhz) (6), [Cd(3-bpmhz)(2-tpc)2]n·0.5n(H2O) (7) (where 2-tpc = 2-thiophenecarboxylate, 4-bphz = 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethylene) hydrazine, 4-bpmhz = 1,2-bis(1-(pyridin-4-yl)ethylidene)hydrazine, 3-bphz = 1,2-bis(pyridin-3-ylmethylene)hydrazine, and 3-bpmhz = 1,2-bis(1-(pyridin-3-yl)ethylidene)hydrazine) were prepared and studied using spectroscopic (FTIR, UV–Vis) and X-ray diffraction methods of analysis. Similarly, four bidentate-bridging azine ligands provide the polymers’ extension, while the different mononuclear/binuclear metal nodes demonstrate the variable metals’ coordination capacities that influence the crystal packing motifs and inclusion properties. The guest-free arrays 1–5 pack in parallel stacking modes, while the inclusion compounds 6 and 7 reveal criss-cross packing arrangements with large channels where guest molecules (4-bpmhz/water) serve as structure-directing templates in the formation of crystal structures. The distributions of different types of intermolecular interactions with respect to the percentage of stacking interactions in 1–7 were quantified by Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots analysis. The guest-exchange properties for 6 and the solid state emissive properties for 1–7 are reported.

Crystallographic Approach to the [2 + 2] Photocycloaddition Topochemical Reactions of Unsaturated Compounds with Single Crystal Retention

Based on the results of authors' studies, an approach to the analysis of [2 + 2] photocycloaddition (PCA) topochemical reactions of unsaturated compounds, occurring in a single crystal with either its retention or decomposition under exposure to visible light, has been developed. The main crystal packings, favorable for photoreaction in crystal, are revealed. Conditions for PCA reaction with single crystal retention are established. The factors increasing the probability of implementing crystal packing motifs that are favorable for this reaction (by chemical modification of structural units) are analyzed. The fact of extraordinary implementation of both direct and back (under UV irradiation) photoreactions in the same single crystal is explained.

Halogen-Bond-Modulated Organization of [Ni(terpy-ph)2]I2 Complexes in Heteromeric Three-Component Systems

The encapsulation of metal complexes within halogen-bonded networks may lead to modulation of their properties in the solid state without the need to chemically incorporate donor or acceptor moieties on the metal complex itself. Here, we investigate the effect of anionic halogen-bonded structure formation on the organization of arene-rich bis(4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine)nickel(II) cations, varying both the topicity and the geometry of the halogen bond donor in a heteromeric three-component system. The X-ray structures of four cocrystals (1-4), [Ni(terpy-ph)][(1,2-DITFB)(I)] (1), [Ni(terpy-ph)][(1,3-DITFB)(I)] (2), [Ni(terpy-ph)][(1,4 DITFB)(I)](I)·9HO (3), and [Ni(terpy-ph)][(1,3,5-TITFB)(HO)(I)]·2HO (4), as well as the iodide salt of the parent complex [Ni(terpy-ph)]I·4HO are reported along with characterization to assess bulk sample and phase purity. Within assemblies of complex cations, we observe the ubiquitous aryl embrace motif often seen in the crystal packing of such terpyridine complexes; however, these assemblies are separated from one another by a variety of halogen-bonded structures, including discrete supramolecular complexes, 1D chains, pseudo-2D sheets, and unusual racemic double helices. The results herein demonstrate how typical crystal packing motifs of metal terpy-ph complexes can be altered and disrupted through their incorporation into halogen-bonded heteromeric three-component systems.

Substituent effects in the zinc(II) coordination chemistry of isomeric pyridylpyrazole ligands

Pyrazoles with unsymmetric substitution are useful ligands in coordination chemistry, but are under-developed due to synthetic challenges in accessing the pure isomers. We have prepared four new structurally related N-(2-pyridyl)-3,5-dialkylpyrazole ligands, L1–L4, and probed their coordination chemistry in the crystalline phase and in solution to elucidate a relationship between steric influence of the alkyl substituents, the stability of the subsequent metal complexes, and their crystal packing influences. We find that L1 and L2, bearing linear or branched alkyl substituents, show similar stabilities and crystal packing motifs featuring π···π and C-H···Cl interactions in the crystalline complexes 1 and 2, respectively. The cyclohexyl-fused species L3 and L4 vary both in the solution stability of complexes 3 and 4, respectively, and in their crystal packing. Complex [ZnCl2(L3)] (3) is a mononuclear complex similar to 1 and 2, albeit with π···π interactions disallowed by the bulk of the cyclohexyl ring. Reaction of isomeric L4 with ZnCl2 gives two polymorphic complexes, 4α and 4β, of the form [Zn2Cl2(μ2-Cl)2(L4)2], varying only in their long-range packing modes. These results show the importance of understanding the steric influences in substituted pyridylpyrazoles, which determine both stability in solution and speciation in the crystalline phase.