Syntheses and crystal structures of the dimer [{Zn(SPh)2(bpy)}2(μ-bpy)] and two forms of the zigzag co-ordination polymer [{Zn(SPh)2(μ-bpy)}n], (bpy=4,4′-bipyridyl)

The reaction between Zn(SPh)(2) and bpy proceeded through the polymer intermediate [{Zn(SPh)(2)(mu-bpy)}(n)] to form the dimer [{Zn(SPh)(2)(bpy)}(2)(mu-bpy)]. The isolation of the products depended on the crystallisation chemistry, i.e. the nature of the solvents, reaction time and method of preparation (diffusion or evaporation techniques). The dimer was isolated from DMF-THF or DMF-THF-DMSO by the evaporation method when the ratio of Zn(SPh)(2):bpy was 1:(1.5-4.0). A one dimensional zigzag co-ordination polymer was isolated from the same reactants by the diffusion method, from a three layer system containing Zn(SPh)(2) in DMF and/or DMSO, bpy in CH2Cl2, CHCl3, MeCN, MeOH, THF or acetone and Et2O as the top layer. In the diffusion method two forms of co-ordination polymers, namely solvated and unsolvated [{Zn(SPh)(2)(mu-bpy)}(n)], were obtained depending on the concentration of CH2Cl2 in the reaction mixture. The crystalline products were structurally characterised by X-ray crystallography.