The role of solvent in coordination polymers: The structures of catena-[Hg(μ2-O2PPh2)2] and catena-[Hg(μ2-O2PPh2)2(NC5H5)2]

The novel diphenylphosphinate bridged coordination polymer catena-[Hg(μ2-O2PPh2)2] was synthesized as a colorless powder from mercury(II) acetate and diphenylphosphinate. Coordinating solvents were used to break the solid-state polymeric chains to allow the crystallization of new polymeric compounds. Crystallization from dimethylsulfoxide/methanol gave the solvent-free polymer catena-[Hg(μ2-O2PPh2)2] while pyridine/methanol gave the 1:2 Hg:pyridine adduct, catena-[Hg(μ2-O2PPh2)2(NC5H5)2]. Both have a polymeric chain with two asymmetrically bridging diphenylphosphinate ligands. The latter also has two pyridine molecules coordinated to the Hg center.