Syntheses, structures and properties of two new isostructural zinc(II) complexes based on 1-[(benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole.

Due to their strong coordination ability and the diversities of their coordination modes, N-heterocyclic organic compounds are used extensively as ligands for the construction of complexes with fascinating structures and potential applications in many fields. Two new complexes, namely bis{1-[(benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole-κN3 }dibromidozinc(II), [ZnBr2 (C10 H9 N5 )2 ], (I), and bis{1-[(benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole-κN3 }diiodidozinc(II), [ZnI2 (C10 H9 N5 )2 ], (II), have been synthesized by reaction of the unsymmetrical N-heterocyclic ligand 1-[(benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole (bmi) with Zn(acetate)2 in the presence of KBr or KI. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that both complexes exhibit a mononuclear structure, in which the bmi ligands coordinate to the central metal ion in a monodentate mode. In the solid state, both complexes possess a three-dimensional network formed by hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions. In addition, the IR spectroscopic properties, PXRD patterns and fluorescence properties of both complexes have been investigated.