Assembly and dichroism of a four-component halogen-bonded metal–organic cocrystal salt solvate involving dicyanoaurate(I) acceptors. (21st July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christopherson, Jan-Constantin; Potts, Karlie P.; Bushuyev, Oleksandr S.; Topić, Filip; Huskić, Igor; Rissanen, Kari; Barrett, Christopher J.; Friščić, Tomislav
• Is Part Of: Faraday discussions. Volume 203(2017)
• Page Start: 441
• Page End: 457
• Publication Date: 2017-07-21
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1039/c7fd00114b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6640

Abstract

Abstract : We describe the use of dicyanoaurate ions as linear ditopic metal–organic acceptors for the halogen bond-driven assembly of a dichroic metal–organic cocrystal based on azobenzene chromophores. Structural analysis by single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the material is a four-component solid, consisting of anticipated anionic metal–organic halogen-bonded chains based on dicyanoaurate ions, as well as complex potassium-based cations and discrete molecules of the crown ether 15-crown-5. Importantly, the structural analysis revealed the parallel alignment of the halogen-bonded chains required for dichroic behaviour, confirming that crystal engineering principles developed for the design of halogen-bonded dichroic organic cocrystals are also applicable to metal-based structures. In the broader context of crystal engineering, the structure of the herein reported dichroic material is additionally interesting as the presence of an ion pair, a neutral azobenzene and a molecule of a room-temperature liquid make it an example of a solid that simultaneously conforms to definitions of a salt, a cocrystal, and a solvate.