metal-organic compounds
Open access
The crystal structure of the title compound, [Zn2(C13H9N2)(C3H6NO2)3]n, displays a long chiral chain. This is composed of zinc-dimer clusters capped by dimethylcarbamate ligands, which lie on crystallographic twofold rotation axes and are polymerically linked in one dimension by 2-phenylbenzimidadole (2–PBImi) organic ligands. The two Zn2+ ions defining the dimetal cluster are crystallographically independent, but display very similar coordination modes and tetrahedral geometry. As such, each Zn2+ ion is coordinated on one side by the N-donor imidazole linker, while the other three available coordination sites are fully occupied by the O atoms from the capping dimethylcarbamates. The chirality of the chain extends along the c axis, generating a rather long 52.470 (11) Å cell axis. Interestingly, the chiral material crystallizes from completely achiral precursors. A twofold axis and 31 screw axis serve to generate the long asymmetric unit.