Inorganic-organic hybrid materials:: Synthesis and X-ray structure of N,N′-dimethylimidazolium salts [(Me2Im)2][Cd2(SCN)6] and N,N′-dicyclohexylimidazolium [(Cy2Im)2][Cd2(SCN)6] • C3H6O

Two novel N,N'-dialkylimidazolium thiocyanate-cadmium complexes [(R2IM)(2)][Cd-2(SCN)(6)] for R = Me (3), and cyclohexyl (4) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic unit cell dimensions of 17.468(3), 7.7273(12), 10.6750(16) Angstrom, 104.833(2)degrees, and space group C2 with two [(Me2IM)(2)] [Cd-2(SCN)(6)] per unit cell. The two cadmium atoms in 3 are octahedrally coordinated in 4N2S and 2N4S coordination environment, and linking into one-dimensional zigzag chains. Compound 4 belongs to the monoclinic space group Cc with unit cell of dimensions 13.3049(12), 17.5550(16), 20.8012(19) Angstrom, 101.494(2)degrees, and four [(Cy2IM)(2)][Cd-2(SCN)(6)] . C3H6O per unit cell. The cadmium atoms in 4 are all 3N3S hexa-coordinated with six bridging SCN- ions in an fac configuration and form infinite zigzag polymeric chains. The infinite chains in 3 form an approximate hexagonal array, making triangular channels which are occupied by N,N'-dimethylimidazolium ions, whereas the chains in 4 form layered structure, and the layers are stacked perpendicularly with respect to the orientation of the infinite anionic chains alternatively. N,N'-dicyclohexylimidazolium cations and solvent molecules fill in between layers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).