research communications
Synthesis and of catena-poly[[aquazinc(II)]-bis[μ2-4-(phenyldiazenyl)benzoato-κ2O:O′]]
aKey Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Sciences of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission & Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Material Science, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China, and bSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, People's Republic of China
*Correspondence e-mail: [email protected]
In the title compound, [Zn(C13H9N2O2)2(H2O)]n or [Zn(pba)2(H2O)]n (pba− = 4-(phenyldiazenyl)benzoate, the Zn2+ ions are coordinated by one water molecule and four oxygen atoms from four different pba− ligands to form a [ZnO5] trigonal bipyramid. The Zn ion and the water O atom lie on a twofold axis. The trigonal bipyramids are bridged by the pba− ligands, extending the structure into chains propagating along the b-axis direction. The chains are connected through hydrogen-bonding interactions.
Keywords: crystal structure; zinc; 4-(phenyldiazenyl)benzoic acid; hydrogen bonds..
CCDC reference: 2537431
1. Chemical context
Azobenzene, as a classical photoswitchable molecule, has gained great attention in designing stimuli-responsive supramolecular system due to its unique photochromic properties arising from reversible E and Z (Feng et al., 2025
; Golzani et al., 2026
; Hao et al., 2017
). In recent years, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives have become widely used in many fields such as separation, catalysis, detection and electrochemical reduction (Liang et al., 2024
; Zhao et al., 2022
, 2026
; Zhong et al., 2025
). Incorporating azobenzene derivatives into MOFs represents a frontier strategy for constructing stimuli responsive systems in materials science. For example, Nitschke and co-workers successfully developed light-responsive metal–organic capsules by incorporating azobenzene-based ligands (Ghosh et al., 2026
) while Tadjarodi and co-workers fabricated a sacrificial nanozyme-based MOF capable of detecting and quantifying Hg2+ ions in aqueous solutions by using an azobenzene-4,4-dicarboxylate ligand (Golzani et al., 2026
). However, theoretically, the molecular motion will be certainly restricted by steric constraints and lattice strain in crystalline MOFs. To supply more examples of functional compounds incorporation by azobenzene derivatives, the title compound, (1), with a one-dimensional chain structure, was obtained.
2. Structural commentary
The of (1) one Zn ion (site symmetry 2), one pba− anion and one water molecule (O atom 2) (Fig. 1
). The Zn—O bond lengths are in the range 1.954 (5)–2.150 (3) Å (Table 1
). All the data are comparable to those reported for other related ZnII–polycarboxylate compounds (Gu et al., 2023
; Liu et al., 2025
; Zhao et al., 2024
). Each Zn center is five-coordinated by four oxygen from four different pba− anions and one coordinated water molecule, forming a trigonal–bipyramidal geometry. The equatorial plane is occupied by atoms O1, O1i and O3. The pba− ligand bridges two ZnII ions through its carboxyl O atoms, and two ZnII ions are bridged by two pba− ligands to form a binuclear Zn2(COO)2 unit. The two ZnII ions and the two carboxyl carbon atoms are in the same plane. The neighboring Zn2(COO)2 unit is distorted and the angle between the binuclear units is 77.3 (1)° (the plane is defined by two ZnII ions and two carboxyl carbon atoms).
|
| | Figure 1 The extended asymmetric unit of (1) showing the coordination environment of the Zn2+ cation and the ligand. Displacement ellipsoids are drawn at the 30% probability level. [Symmetry codes: (A) −x + 1, −y + 1, −z + 1; (B)−x + 1, y, −z + |
3. Supramolecular features
In the crystal, The units are extended along the c-axis direction, generating a one-dimensional zigzag chain (Fig. 2
). The ligand hangs along the chain towards different directions (Fig. 3
). O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are observed (Table 2
). The packing is shown in Fig. 4
.
| |||||||||||||||||
| | Figure 2 The one-dimensional zigzag chain. |
| Figure 3 The one-dimensional chain constructed by ZnII ions and the carboxyl groups. |
| Figure 4 Packing diagram of (1), showing hydrogen-bonding interactions (dashed lines). |
4. Synthesis and crystallization
A mixture of Zn(NO3)2·6H2O (29.5 mg, 0.1 mmol) and pba (45.2 mg, 0.2 mmol) in 5 mL DMF was sealed in a Teflon lined autoclave and heated to 393 K for 48 h, then gradually cooled down to room temperature. Pale-yellow block-shaped crystals were obtained.
5. Refinement
Crystal data, data collection and structure details are summarized in Table 3
. The hydrogen atom of the coordinated water molecule was located from a difference-Fourier map, and refined using a riding model with isotropic displacement parameters Uiso(H) = 1.5Ueq(O). C-bound H atoms were positioned geometrically (C—H = 0.95 Å) and refined with as riding with Uiso(H) = 1.2Ueq(C).
|
Supporting information
CCDC reference: 2537431
contains datablock I. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989026005177/nx2033sup1.cif
Structure factors: contains datablock I. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989026005177/nx2033Isup2.hkl
| [Zn(C13H9N2O2)2(H2O)] | F(000) = 1096 |
| Mr = 533.83 | Dx = 1.562 Mg m−3 |
| Monoclinic, C2/c | Cu Kα radiation, λ = 1.54184 Å |
| a = 51.1233 (13) Å | Cell parameters from 5128 reflections |
| b = 6.1213 (2) Å | θ = 1.7–75.3° |
| c = 7.2534 (3) Å | µ = 1.91 mm−1 |
| β = 90.788 (3)° | T = 100 K |
| V = 2269.68 (13) Å3 | Block, colourless |
| Z = 4 | 0.35 × 0.34 × 0.34 mm |
| ROD, Synergy Custom DW system, HyPix diffractometer | 2310 independent reflections |
| Radiation source: Rotating-anode X-ray tube, Rigaku (Cu) X-ray Source | 1997 reflections with I > 2σ(I) |
| Mirror monochromator | Rint = 0.074 |
| Detector resolution: 10.0000 pixels mm-1 | θmax = 75.8°, θmin = 1.7° |
| ω scans | h = −63→63 |
| Absorption correction: multi-scan (CrysAlisPro; Rigaku Oxford Diffraction, 2023) | k = −7→7 |
| Tmin = 0.683, Tmax = 1.000 | l = −9→9 |
| 12079 measured reflections |
| Refinement on F2 | Primary atom site location: dual |
| Least-squares matrix: full | Hydrogen site location: mixed |
| R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.064 | H-atom parameters constrained |
| wR(F2) = 0.188 | w = 1/[σ2(Fo2) + (0.0833P)2 + 14.3419P] where P = (Fo2 + 2Fc2)/3 |
| S = 1.09 | (Δ/σ)max < 0.001 |
| 2310 reflections | Δρmax = 0.98 e Å−3 |
| 164 parameters | Δρmin = −0.78 e Å−3 |
| 0 restraints |
Geometry. All esds (except the esd in the dihedral angle between two l.s. planes) are estimated using the full covariance matrix. The cell esds are taken into account individually in the estimation of esds in distances, angles and torsion angles; correlations between esds in cell parameters are only used when they are defined by crystal symmetry. An approximate (isotropic) treatment of cell esds is used for estimating esds involving l.s. planes. |
| x | y | z | Uiso*/Ueq | ||
| Zn1 | 0.500000 | 0.68636 (12) | 0.750000 | 0.0348 (3) | |
| O1 | 0.46580 (5) | 0.5827 (6) | 0.6597 (5) | 0.0429 (8) | |
| O2 | 0.48302 (5) | 0.2968 (5) | 0.5191 (4) | 0.0395 (7) | |
| O3 | 0.500000 | 1.0056 (8) | 0.750000 | 0.0614 (15) | |
| H3 | 0.501450 | 1.091918 | 0.844860 | 0.092* | |
| N1 | 0.35958 (6) | 0.1029 (6) | 0.4436 (5) | 0.0366 (8) | |
| N2 | 0.35633 (7) | −0.0988 (6) | 0.4260 (5) | 0.0380 (8) | |
| C1 | 0.46353 (8) | 0.4063 (8) | 0.5720 (6) | 0.0363 (9) | |
| C2 | 0.40772 (8) | 0.0371 (7) | 0.4283 (6) | 0.0363 (9) | |
| H2 | 0.405238 | −0.105117 | 0.378553 | 0.044* | |
| C3 | 0.29970 (9) | −0.4379 (8) | 0.2927 (7) | 0.0428 (10) | |
| H3A | 0.296645 | −0.578410 | 0.241022 | 0.051* | |
| C4 | 0.28344 (8) | −0.0956 (9) | 0.4070 (7) | 0.0437 (11) | |
| H4 | 0.269101 | −0.003491 | 0.435632 | 0.052* | |
| C5 | 0.43271 (8) | 0.1173 (8) | 0.4591 (7) | 0.0377 (10) | |
| H5 | 0.447401 | 0.030593 | 0.427714 | 0.045* | |
| C6 | 0.43656 (8) | 0.3233 (7) | 0.5352 (6) | 0.0353 (9) | |
| C7 | 0.38625 (8) | 0.1666 (7) | 0.4710 (6) | 0.0345 (9) | |
| C8 | 0.41509 (8) | 0.4531 (7) | 0.5779 (6) | 0.0357 (9) | |
| H8 | 0.417655 | 0.593238 | 0.631425 | 0.043* | |
| C9 | 0.27874 (9) | −0.3010 (9) | 0.3321 (7) | 0.0461 (11) | |
| H9 | 0.261314 | −0.347783 | 0.307790 | 0.055* | |
| C10 | 0.30859 (8) | −0.0238 (8) | 0.4405 (6) | 0.0381 (10) | |
| H10 | 0.311607 | 0.117081 | 0.491508 | 0.046* | |
| C11 | 0.32956 (8) | −0.1596 (7) | 0.3988 (6) | 0.0366 (10) | |
| C12 | 0.38991 (8) | 0.3773 (8) | 0.5420 (6) | 0.0369 (10) | |
| H12 | 0.375247 | 0.467940 | 0.565622 | 0.044* | |
| C13 | 0.32514 (9) | −0.3678 (8) | 0.3294 (7) | 0.0399 (10) | |
| H13 | 0.339470 | −0.462513 | 0.306996 | 0.048* |
| U11 | U22 | U33 | U12 | U13 | U23 | |
| Zn1 | 0.0210 (4) | 0.0272 (4) | 0.0562 (6) | 0.000 | 0.0029 (3) | 0.000 |
| O1 | 0.0247 (14) | 0.0444 (19) | 0.060 (2) | −0.0063 (13) | 0.0040 (12) | −0.0118 (15) |
| O2 | 0.0221 (13) | 0.0465 (19) | 0.0500 (18) | 0.0000 (12) | 0.0034 (12) | 0.0032 (14) |
| O3 | 0.096 (4) | 0.027 (2) | 0.061 (3) | 0.000 | −0.017 (3) | 0.000 |
| N1 | 0.0252 (16) | 0.0325 (19) | 0.052 (2) | −0.0029 (14) | 0.0021 (14) | −0.0003 (16) |
| N2 | 0.0267 (17) | 0.036 (2) | 0.052 (2) | −0.0029 (15) | 0.0044 (14) | 0.0000 (16) |
| C1 | 0.0256 (19) | 0.039 (2) | 0.044 (2) | −0.0017 (17) | 0.0039 (16) | 0.0033 (19) |
| C2 | 0.0277 (19) | 0.032 (2) | 0.049 (2) | −0.0001 (16) | 0.0024 (17) | −0.0010 (18) |
| C3 | 0.038 (2) | 0.036 (2) | 0.054 (3) | −0.0103 (19) | 0.0004 (19) | 0.001 (2) |
| C4 | 0.029 (2) | 0.049 (3) | 0.054 (3) | 0.0010 (19) | 0.0047 (18) | 0.005 (2) |
| C5 | 0.0241 (19) | 0.037 (2) | 0.053 (3) | 0.0038 (17) | 0.0060 (17) | 0.0018 (19) |
| C6 | 0.0241 (19) | 0.035 (2) | 0.047 (2) | −0.0017 (16) | 0.0042 (16) | 0.0042 (18) |
| C7 | 0.0231 (18) | 0.034 (2) | 0.046 (2) | −0.0031 (16) | 0.0027 (16) | 0.0051 (17) |
| C8 | 0.0269 (19) | 0.034 (2) | 0.047 (2) | −0.0034 (16) | 0.0026 (16) | 0.0004 (18) |
| C9 | 0.029 (2) | 0.056 (3) | 0.053 (3) | −0.011 (2) | 0.0004 (19) | 0.003 (2) |
| C10 | 0.0284 (19) | 0.037 (2) | 0.049 (2) | −0.0006 (17) | 0.0032 (17) | 0.0022 (19) |
| C11 | 0.028 (2) | 0.036 (2) | 0.046 (3) | −0.0060 (16) | 0.0035 (17) | 0.0014 (18) |
| C12 | 0.0259 (19) | 0.036 (2) | 0.049 (3) | 0.0034 (16) | 0.0058 (17) | 0.0035 (19) |
| C13 | 0.034 (2) | 0.032 (2) | 0.054 (3) | −0.0024 (17) | 0.0068 (19) | 0.0020 (19) |
| Zn1—O1 | 1.964 (3) | C3—C9 | 1.393 (7) |
| Zn1—O1i | 1.964 (3) | C3—C13 | 1.392 (6) |
| Zn1—O2ii | 2.150 (3) | C4—H4 | 0.9500 |
| Zn1—O2iii | 2.150 (3) | C4—C9 | 1.389 (7) |
| Zn1—O3 | 1.954 (5) | C4—C10 | 1.377 (6) |
| O1—C1 | 1.258 (6) | C5—H5 | 0.9500 |
| O2—C1 | 1.265 (5) | C5—C6 | 1.390 (6) |
| O3—H3 | 0.8700 | C6—C8 | 1.393 (6) |
| O3—H3i | 0.8700 | C7—C12 | 1.400 (6) |
| N1—N2 | 1.252 (5) | C8—H8 | 0.9500 |
| N1—C7 | 1.430 (5) | C8—C12 | 1.389 (6) |
| N2—C11 | 1.429 (5) | C9—H9 | 0.9500 |
| C1—C6 | 1.490 (6) | C10—H10 | 0.9500 |
| C2—H2 | 0.9500 | C10—C11 | 1.393 (6) |
| C2—C5 | 1.384 (6) | C11—C13 | 1.388 (6) |
| C2—C7 | 1.392 (6) | C12—H12 | 0.9500 |
| C3—H3A | 0.9500 | C13—H13 | 0.9500 |
| O1—Zn1—O1i | 142.3 (2) | C10—C4—C9 | 120.9 (4) |
| O1—Zn1—O2iii | 87.11 (12) | C2—C5—H5 | 119.6 |
| O1i—Zn1—O2iii | 94.66 (13) | C2—C5—C6 | 120.8 (4) |
| O1i—Zn1—O2ii | 87.11 (12) | C6—C5—H5 | 119.6 |
| O1—Zn1—O2ii | 94.66 (13) | C5—C6—C1 | 120.4 (4) |
| O2iii—Zn1—O2ii | 174.51 (18) | C5—C6—C8 | 119.9 (4) |
| O3—Zn1—O1i | 108.85 (11) | C8—C6—C1 | 119.7 (4) |
| O3—Zn1—O1 | 108.85 (10) | C2—C7—N1 | 124.5 (4) |
| O3—Zn1—O2iii | 87.26 (9) | C2—C7—C12 | 120.3 (4) |
| O3—Zn1—O2ii | 87.26 (9) | C12—C7—N1 | 115.1 (4) |
| C1—O1—Zn1 | 121.4 (3) | C6—C8—H8 | 120.0 |
| C1—O2—Zn1ii | 125.4 (3) | C12—C8—C6 | 119.9 (4) |
| Zn1—O3—H3 | 127.4 | C12—C8—H8 | 120.0 |
| Zn1—O3—H3i | 127.408 (2) | C3—C9—H9 | 120.1 |
| H3—O3—H3i | 105.2 | C4—C9—C3 | 119.7 (4) |
| N2—N1—C7 | 114.1 (4) | C4—C9—H9 | 120.1 |
| N1—N2—C11 | 113.4 (4) | C4—C10—H10 | 120.3 |
| O1—C1—O2 | 122.7 (4) | C4—C10—C11 | 119.4 (4) |
| O1—C1—C6 | 117.5 (4) | C11—C10—H10 | 120.3 |
| O2—C1—C6 | 119.8 (4) | C10—C11—N2 | 123.6 (4) |
| C5—C2—H2 | 120.3 | C13—C11—N2 | 116.1 (4) |
| C5—C2—C7 | 119.4 (4) | C13—C11—C10 | 120.3 (4) |
| C7—C2—H2 | 120.3 | C7—C12—H12 | 120.2 |
| C9—C3—H3A | 120.2 | C8—C12—C7 | 119.7 (4) |
| C13—C3—H3A | 120.2 | C8—C12—H12 | 120.2 |
| C13—C3—C9 | 119.6 (4) | C3—C13—H13 | 120.0 |
| C9—C4—H4 | 119.5 | C11—C13—C3 | 120.0 (4) |
| C10—C4—H4 | 119.5 | C11—C13—H13 | 120.0 |
| Zn1—O1—C1—O2 | −7.8 (6) | C2—C5—C6—C8 | −1.3 (7) |
| Zn1—O1—C1—C6 | 170.5 (3) | C2—C7—C12—C8 | −3.0 (7) |
| Zn1ii—O2—C1—O1 | −95.8 (5) | C4—C10—C11—N2 | 179.1 (4) |
| Zn1ii—O2—C1—C6 | 86.0 (5) | C4—C10—C11—C13 | −1.9 (7) |
| O1—C1—C6—C5 | −172.2 (4) | C5—C2—C7—N1 | 179.3 (4) |
| O1—C1—C6—C8 | 7.6 (6) | C5—C2—C7—C12 | 0.8 (7) |
| O2—C1—C6—C5 | 6.1 (7) | C5—C6—C8—C12 | −0.8 (7) |
| O2—C1—C6—C8 | −174.0 (4) | C6—C8—C12—C7 | 2.9 (7) |
| N1—N2—C11—C10 | −17.8 (7) | C7—N1—N2—C11 | 180.0 (4) |
| N1—N2—C11—C13 | 163.1 (4) | C7—C2—C5—C6 | 1.3 (7) |
| N1—C7—C12—C8 | 178.5 (4) | C9—C3—C13—C11 | −2.3 (7) |
| N2—N1—C7—C2 | 18.8 (6) | C9—C4—C10—C11 | −0.2 (7) |
| N2—N1—C7—C12 | −162.7 (4) | C10—C4—C9—C3 | 1.0 (7) |
| N2—C11—C13—C3 | −177.8 (4) | C10—C11—C13—C3 | 3.1 (7) |
| C1—C6—C8—C12 | 179.3 (4) | C13—C3—C9—C4 | 0.2 (7) |
| C2—C5—C6—C1 | 178.5 (4) |
| Symmetry codes: (i) −x+1, y, −z+3/2; (ii) −x+1, −y+1, −z+1; (iii) x, −y+1, z+1/2. |
| D—H···A | D—H | H···A | D···A | D—H···A |
| O3—H3···O2iv | 0.87 | 1.78 | 2.588 (4) | 154 |
| Symmetry code: (iv) −x+1, y+1, −z+3/2. |
Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21271189) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China (No. 2023 J J30685) for their financial support.
Funding information
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21271189) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China (No. 2023 J J30685).
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