Intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds in [Ag(PPh3)3(HL)] complexes [H2L: H2xspa = 3(aryl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acids; H2cpa = 2-cyclopentylidene-2-sulfanylacetic acid]

Abstract Compounds of the type [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (HL)] {H 2 x spa=3(aryl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acids: x  =  Clp [3-(2-chlorophenyl)-], -o-mp [3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-], -p-mp [3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-], -o-hp [3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-], -p-hp [3-(4-hydroxyphenyl-); H 2 cpa = 2-cyclopentylidene-2-sulfanylacetic acid} were synthesized and characterised by IR and NMR ( 1 H 13 C and 31 P) spectroscopy and by FAB mass spectrometry. The crystal structures of [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (HClpspa)], [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (H- o -mpspa)], [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (H- p -mpspa)] and [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (Hcpa)] reveal the presence of discrete molecular units containing an intramolecular O–H···S hydrogen bond between the S atom and one of the O atoms of the COOH group. This intramolecular hydrogen bond remains in [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (H- o -hpspa)]·EtOH and [Ag(PPh 3 ) 3 (H- p -hpspa)] but in both cases polymeric structures are built on the basis of O–H···O interactions that involve the –OH substituent of the phenyl group of the sulfanylpropenoate fragment.