Coordination polymers of silver(I) with bis(N-heterocyclic carbene): Structural characterization and carbene transfer

Reactions of ethylene- and methylene-bridged bis(imidazolium) salts with Ag2O produced readily the silver NHC coordination polymers, [Ag2LBr2]. Structural analysis on 3d (L = 1,1′-dibenzyl-3,3′-ethylenediimidazolin-2,2′-diylidene) reveals the formation of bromide bibridged (Ag2LBr2)n chains and an intriguing supramolecular motif with weak Ag⋯Ag interactions of 3.429 Å. The coordination polymers are effective carbene transfer reagents.