Solvent diffusion through a non-porous crystal ‘caught in the act’ and related single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations in a cationic dinuclear Ag(i) complex

Abstract

The effect of a range of solvents on non-porous single crystals of a cyclic, dinuclear silver(I) complex with 1,3-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (bitmb) with the formula [Ag₂(bitmb)₂](BF₄)₂ (1) was investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. It allowed us to get a few snapshots of the process of solvent diffusion through the crystal, connected with a series of reversible transformations. We have isolated disolvated 2a and monosolvated 2b forms with acetonitrile, monosolvated 3b and 4b forms with acetone and ethanol, respectively, and monosolvated 4c form with ethanol which is an intermediate between 1 and 4b. Longer exposure of the crystals to solvent vapours leads to the formation of a polymeric 1D Ag(I) complex with the general formula [Agbitmb(BF₄)]_n (5).