The preparation, characterization and X-ray structural analysis of tetrakis[1-methyl-3-(2-propyl)-2(3H)-imidazolethione]zinc(II) tetrafluoroborate and tetrakis[1-methyl-3-(1-butyl)-2(3H)- imidazolethione]zinc(II) tetrafluoroborate

Two compounds, [Zn(mipit)4][BF4]2 (1) and [Zn(mnbit)4][BF4]2 (2) have been synthesized and characterized via standard solid and solution state methods including single crystal X-ray crystallography (mipit: 1-methyl-3-(2-propyl)-2(3H)-imidazolethione and mnbit: 1-methyl-3-(1-butyl)-2(3H)-imidazolethione). Compound 1 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 11.804(2) Å, b = 16.710(3) Å, c = 25.763(5) Å, γ = 90.14(3)° and Z = 4, whereas compound 2 crystallizes in tetragonal space group $${\rm I}\bar{4}$$ with a = b = 11.6517(16) Å, c= 16.820(3) Å, and Z = 2. Both complexes are high melting, colorless water soluble 2:1 electrolyte solids that state have flattened tetrahedral ZnS4 coordination geometry. The isopropyl analog is slightly more distorted than the n-butyl analog, and the degree of distortion is not directly related to the steric bulk of the ligand.