Sonochemical synthesis and properties of two new nanostructured silver(I) coordination polymers

Two new Ag(I) coordination polymers (CPs), namely, Ag(L)(Htp) (1) and [Ag(L)]·(Htp)·2H2O (2) were synthesized from the long flexible ligand of 1,6-bis(2-methylbenzimidazolyl)hexane (L), terephthalic acid (H2tp) and different silver(I) salts using hydrothermal and sonochemical methods, These CPs were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, scanning electron microscopy, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. 1 features a uninodal 3-connected 2D hcb layered structure, while 2 exhibits an infinite 1D linear chain and ultimately extended into 3D supramolecular framework via O-H⋯O and Ag⋯O interactions. In addition, the effect of various sonication concentrations of the initial reagents, ultrasonic time and power of ultrasound irradiation on the size and morphology of nanostructured 1 and 2 were evaluated. Nano-sized 1 and 2 exhibit relatively high performance as UV light driven photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue.