2,2′ : 6′,2″ : 6″,2‴-Quaterpyridine (qtpy): a versatile ligand in metallosupramolecular chemistry; crystal and molecular structures of [Ni(qtpy)(OH2)2][BF4]2, [Pd(qtpy)][PF6]2, [Cu2(qtpy)2][Pf6]2 and [Ag2(qtpy)2][BF4]2

Abstract

The co-ordination behaviour of 2,2′ : 6′,2″ : 6″,2‴-quaterpyridine (qtpy) has been systematically studied. Double-helical dinuclear complexes were only obtained with ions bearing a low charge or a low charge-to-radius ratio and which have no electronically imposed preference for geometries in which the ligand can present a planar donor set. The double-helical complexes [Cu₂(qtpy)₂][PF₆]₂ and [Ag₂(qtpy)₂][BF₄]₂ have been structurally characterised, as have the mononuclear species [Ni(qtpy)(OH₂)₂][BF₄]₂ and [Pd(qtpy)][PF₆]₂. Complexes with zinc(II) and cadmium(II) are mononuclear but it is suggested that a double-helical dinuclear complex is formed with mercury(II).