Effect of co-crystallization of ethanol, pyridine and 2,2′-bipyridine on molecular aggregation in bis(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolinedithiocarbamato-S,S′)mercury(ii) and synthesis of HgS nanoparticles

Abstract

[Hg(thqdtc)₂] (1) and [Hg(thqdtc)₂(2,2′-bipy)] (2) (where thqdtc = 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrquinolinecarbodithioate and 2,2′-bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) have been prepared and characterized. Single crystal X-ray structural analysis show that [Hg(thqdtc)₂]·0.5(2,2′-bipy) (3), [Hg(thqdtc)₂]·0.25C₂H₅OH (4) and [Hg₃(thqdtc)₆]·py (5) exist as monomer, dimer and trimer, respectively. Co-crystallization of 2,2′-bipyridine, ethanol and pyridine (py) with [Hg(thqdtc)₂] causes a change in secondary interactions and hence, different structural motifs are obtained. Complexes 1 and 2 have been used as single source precursors for the preparation of HgS nanoparticles. The nanoparticles have been characterized by XRD, TEM, UV and fluorescence spectra. Use of 1 for the preparation of mercury sulfide afforded hexagonal shape HgS nanosheets and three different morphology HgS nanoparticles are obtained from 2; most of the crystallites are rod while the remainders are hexagonal and rectangle sheets.