Syntheses, structures and luminescent properties of three silver(I) complexes with a novel imidazole-containing Schiff base ligand

Three novel silver(l) complexes [Ag2(L)21(NO3)2 (4 [Ag2(L)21(BF4)2 (2) and [Ag2(L)21(CF3CO2)2 (3) have been synthesized by reactions of Schiff base ligand 1-(imidazol-4-yl)-5-(imidazol1-yl)-2-azapent-l-ene (L) with the corresponding metal salts and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Complex I has one dimensional (ID) chain structure, while complex 2 has two-dimensional (213) network structure, in which two unique ID chains with different shapes are linked together via Ag... Ag interactions. Complex 3 features a discrete M21_2 molecular ring. The results show that the nature of the counterions has remarkable impact on the structure of the supramolecular structures. The photoluminescent properties of the synthesized complexes were studied in the solid state at room temperature. In addition, complex I was further investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry. Keywords: Silver; Crystal structure; Schiff base