Discrete 0D and polymeric 2D and 3D derivatives assembled from [(CuL)2Zn]2+ and dicyanamide blocks (H2L = salen type Schiff bases): Genuine supramolecular isomers with distinct topologies

Three new hetero-metallic Cu(II)-Zn(II) compounds [(CuL1)(2)Zn(N(CN)(2))(2)] (1), (2)(infinity)[(CuL2)(2)Zn(mu(1,5)-N(CN)(2))(2)](n) (2A) and (3)(infinity)[(CuL2)(2)Zn(mu(1,5)-N(CN)(2))(2)](n) (2B) have been synthesized by reacting a [CuL1] or [CuL2] "metalloligand" (where H2L1 = N, N'-bis(alpha-methylsalicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine and H2L2 = N, N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine) with zinc perchlorate hexahydrate and sodium dicyanamide, using various molar ratios of the reactants. All three products have been characterized by IR and UV-Vis spectroscopies, ESI-MS, elemental, powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Complex 1 is a discrete 0D trinuclear species in which two "metalloligands" coordinate to a zinc(II) ion through phenoxido oxygen atoms along with two terminal dicyanamido ligands. In contrast, products 2A and 2B are 2D and 3D coordination polymers, respectively, which bear a common [(CuL2)(2)Zn(N(CN)(2))(2)] trinuclear unit wherein, however, dicyanamido moieties adopt a mu(1,5)-bridging coordination mode. The coordination networks have been formed via the linkage, in different manners, of the trinuclear nodes [(CuL2)(2)Zn](2+) through Zn and Cu centres with the help of divergent dicyanamido spacers. These two isomeric coordination polymers represent a rare example of "genuine supramolecular isomerism". The coordination networks in 2A and 2B have been classified from the topological viewpoint, revealing a binodal 3,4-connected underlying net with the 3,4L21 topology in 2A and a uninodal 4-connected underlying net with the qtz (quartz, 4/6/h1) topology in 2B. Electronic spectra and ESI mass spectra show that all three complexes lose their solid state identity in solution.