Supramolecular compounds with coordination polymeric chains of Ag ions, p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene and ethylenediamine

Complexes (en)0.5[{Ag2(en)2}{Ag4(en)4}2(SC4)2]·17H2O(1) and [Ag5(en)5(H2O)2][Ag8(en)8(H2O)2(SC4)2][Na(H2O)4][Na6(H2O)16(SC4)2]·50H2O (2), SC4 = p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene pentaanion, en = ethylenediamine, were synthesized from sodium p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (Na4SC4), Ag+ ions in aqueous solution of pH = 11 at room temperature. Single-crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. In 1, two 20-membered macrocycles consisting of four Ag+ ions and four en molecules are combined together by weak Ag–Ag metal bonds in which the Ag+ ions are coordinated by sulfonate oxygen atoms of SC4 with a weak Ag–O interaction. Two Ag+ ions in a ten-membered ring, Ag2(en)2, link two hydroxyl oxygen atoms of two SC4, forming a chain extending along the a-axis. In 2 four Ag+ ions and four en molecules form a chain with SC4 as pendants through Ag–O interaction. Another SC4 coordinates to three Na+ ions, forming a Na3-SC4-H2O chain through sharing a water molecule. The third chain is formed by three Ag+ ions and three en molecules. These chains stretch towards different directions forming a 3D supramolecular architecture stabilized by hydrogen bonds.