Silver(I) coordination polymers self-assembled through methanolysis of pyrazinecarbonitrile: Structure and photoluminescence

New supramolecular solids whose topologies depend on the counteranion, [Ag(MPCI)(CF3CO2)] (1) and [Ag2(MPCI)2(CH3OH)(CF3SO3)]CF3SO3 (2), have been prepared by the self-assembly of AgX image with pyrazinecarbonitrile (MPCI = methyl pyrazine-2-carboximidate). Both compounds are composed of methyl pyrazine-2-carboximidate (MPCI), in which the pyrazinecarbonitrile ligand is transformed into an MPCI by methanolysis in the presence of silver(I) ions. The coordination geometry around silver(I) ion in 1 is a distorted tetrahedral structure, while two silver(I) ions in the asymmetric unit of 2 are a seesaw-like structure and a square-planar one. Furthermore, 1 and 2 display one-dimensional ladder-like coordination polymers due to the π–π interactions. 1 shows a visible light emission ranging from violet to blue wavelengths, whereas 2 appears a weak visible emission at around 470 nm.