Acta Cryst. (2012). E68, m59-m60  [ doi:10.1107/S1600536811053177 ]

catena-Poly[zinc-tris(-dimethylcarbamato-²O:O')-zinc--(2-phenylbenzimidazolido-²N:N']

M. A. Rodriguez, D. F. Sava and T. M. Nenoff

Abstract: The crystal structure of the title compound, [Zn₂(C₁₃H₉N₂)(C₃H₆NO₂)₃]_n, displays a long chiral chain. This is composed of zinc-dimer clusters capped by dimethylcarbamate ligands, which lie on crystallographic twofold rotation axes and are polymerically linked in one dimension by 2-phenylbenzimidadole (2-PBImi) organic ligands. The two Zn²⁺ ions defining the dimetal cluster are crystallographically independent, but display very similar coordination modes and tetrahedral geometry. As such, each Zn²⁺ ion is coordinated on one side by the N-donor imidazole linker, while the other three available coordination sites are fully occupied by the O atoms from the capping dimethylcarbamates. The chirality of the chain extends along the c axis, generating a rather long 52.470 (11) Å cell axis. Interestingly, the chiral material crystallizes from completely achiral precursors. A twofold axis and 3₁ screw axis serve to generate the long asymmetric unit.

Online 17 December 2011

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