Trinuclear silver(I) complex with benzimidazole (Hbim) and triphenylphosphine [Ag3(μ-bim)3(PPh3)5]: synthesis, crystal structure and photoluminescence

A novel trinuclear silver(I)–triphenylphosphine complex with nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ligand benzimidazole (Hbim), [Ag3(μ-bim)3(PPh3)5], was synthesized by the reaction of a precursor complex [Ag(bim)]n with two equivalent PPh3 in dichloromethane. The complex has been identified by IR, UV/VIS, EA, and X-ray diffraction crystallography. [Ag3(μ-bim)3(PPh3)5] crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with a=19.325 (2), b=23.416 (3), c=25.724 (3) Å, α=66.197 (2)°, β=76.557 (2)°, γ=75.323 (2)°, V=10191 (2) Å3, Z=4, R=0.0293, Dc=1.295 g cm−3, F(0 0 0)=4056. Three silver(I) ions are bridged by three bim− ligands to form an asymmetric twelve-membered ring structure with a rare twisted conformation. Each silver(I) ion occupied a three- or four-coordination environment bound to one or two triphenylphosphine(s). The complex is photoluminescent in solid state at room temperature.