A sandwich-shaped M 3 L 2 zinc(ii) complex containing 1,3,5-tris(dimethyl(pyridin-3-yl)silyl)benzene: selective photoluminescence recognition of diiodomethane.

Self-assembly of Zn(ClO4 )2 with 1,3,5-tris(dimethyl(pyridin-3-yl)silyl)benzene (L) as a new C3 -symmetric tridentate N-donor gives rise to a discrete sandwich-shaped M3 L2 architecture, [Zn3 (μ-OH)3 L2 ](ClO4 )3 ·4CH3 CN·2H2 O. Its blue photoluminescence is significantly quenched only by CH2 I2 among the various small molecules, CH2 Cl2 , CH2 Br2 , CHCl3 , 1,2-dichloroethane, EtOH, CH3 CN, benzene, toluene, and phenol.