Carbaborane C-H groups are acidic and so are able to form hydrogen bonding interactions as donors. This can be exploited in the use of carbaboranes as coordinating anions that can be involved in agostic interactions with diverse metal centres. Agostic and electrostatic interactions for Ag···H-B are very rare.
In this advance article, Luís Cunha-Silva and Michaele Hardie report the synthesis and structural characterisation of two silver alkanedinitrile networks with cobalt carbaborane anions that have an exciting mix of short-range Ag···H interactions and geometries.
The complexes exhibit Ag centres that are purely coordinated by Ag···H-B interactions, which are highly uncommon coordination motifs. Both Ag···(H-B)4 and Ag···(H-B)6 centres were identified, and the cobalt carbaborane anions behaved as ligands through a mix of these agostic and electrostatic interactions.
This Hot Article is free to access for 4 weeks. You can keep up to date with the latest news in crystal engineering by liking us on facebook, following us on twitter or signing up to our e-alert service!
Exploring Ag•••H−B interactions in coordination polymers: silver alkanedinitrile networks with cobalt carbaborane anions
Luís Cunha-Silva and Michaele Hardie
CrystEngComm, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CE00003B
