Four new mercury coordination supramolecular complexes (1D and 0D), [Hg(L)(Br)2]n (1), [Hg(L)(Cl)2]n (2), [Hg(L)(SCN)2]n (3) and [Hg2(L)2(I)4] (4) where L = C6H8N2 (3-picolylamine), have been synthesized under different experimental conditions. Micrometric crystals (bulk) or nano-sized materials have been obtained depending on using the branch tube method or sonochemical irradiation. All materials have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Single crystal X-ray analyses on complexes 1–4 show that Hg2+ ions are 4, 5, 4 and 4-coordinated, respectively. Topological analysis shows that the complexes 1–4 are 2C1, 2,2,4C1, 2C1 and 1,2,4M16-1 net, respectively. Also, by changing counter ions, various structures were obtained: 1–4 (0D and 1D) which are helical chain, linear chain and rectangular molecule. The role of different parameters like temperature, reaction time, power of ultrasound irradiation and concentration of initial reactants on the growth and morphology of the micro-nano structures are studied.

This work was supported by grant MAT 2015-70615-R from the Spanish Government and by FEDER funds. Funded by the CERCA Program/Generalitat de Catalunya. ICN2 is supported by the Severo Ochoa program from Spanish MINECO (Grant No. SEV-2013-0295).

Peer reviewed