Tuning the coordination chemistry of cyclotriveratrylene ligand pairs through alkyl chain aggregation

Propylated cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) ligands display different coordination chemistry over their methylated congeners as a result of increased solubility, an affinity for alkyl chain aggregation and steric factors. The propylated ligand tris(isonicotinoyl)-tris(propoxy)-cyclotricatechylene (L1p) forms a 1D coordination polymer within complex {[Ag(L1p)[Co(C2B9H11)(2)]](DMF)}(infinity) (complex 1p), and a 2D sheet of 4.8(2) topology in {[Cd(L1p)(ONO2)(2)(H2O)]center dot(DMF)center dot 0.5(Et2O)}(infinity) (complex 2p), neither of which are formed with the analogous methylated ligand tris(isonicotinoyl)-cyclotriguaiacylene (L1m). Both complexes 1p and 2p display multiple sites of aggregation of hydrophobic groups. The new propylated ligand tris(2-quinolylmethyl)-tris(propoxy)-cyclotricatechylene (L2p) forms a 1D coordination polymer with Ag(I) in complex{[Ag-2(L2p)(2)][Co(C2B9H11)(2)](2)center dot 1.5(MeNO2)}(infinity) (complex 3p) and a novel, compressed octahedral structure with palladium(II) cations, [Pd-6(L2p)(4)(CF3CO2)(12)] (complex 4p). Neither complex was accessible with the methylated congener tris(2-quinolylmethyl)-cyclotriguaiacylene (L2m).