metal-organic compounds
The new ether-bridged dipyridyl ligand 1,2-bis[4-(pyridin-3-yl)phenoxy]ethane (L) has been used to synthesize three isostructural centrosymmetric binuclear HgII macrocycles, namely bis{μ-1,2-bis[4-(pyridin-3-yl)phenoxy]ethane-κ2N:N′}bis[dichloridomercury(II)], [Hg2Cl4(C24H20N2O2)2], and the bromido, [Hg2Br4(C24H20N2O2)2], and iodido, [Hg2I4(C24H20N2O2)2], analogues. The Hg atoms adopt a highly distorted tetrahedral coordination environment consisting of two halides and two pyridine N-donor atoms from two bridging ligands. In the solid state, the macrocycles form two-dimensional sheets in the bc plane through noncovalent HgX and XX (X = Cl, Br and I) interactions.