Synthesis, characterization and luminescence of Cd(II), Zn(II) complexes with 1,2,3-triazole derivatives and in situ solvothermal decarboxylation of the ligands

•One 1D helical chain Cd(II) complex 1 constructed a 3D structure by hydrogen bonds.•Three Zn(II) complex 2–4 obtained by different Zn2+ salts with Hmptca.•Two in situ solvothermal decarboxylation complexes 4–5.•The fluorescent properties of crystalline complexes 1–5 investigated in solid-state.

The complexes [CdCl(mptc)(H2O)2]n (1), Zn(mptc)(Hmptc)Br (2), {[Zn(mptc)3]2[Zn(H2O)6]·4H2O} (3) and Zn(mpt)2Cl2 (4) (mpt = 5-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole) were prepared by 5-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acid (Hmptc) and Cd2+, Zn2+ respectively in different conditions. We found an interesting phenomenon of in situ decarboxylic reaction in complex 4. The same discovery was also in Zn(ipmt)2Br2 (5) (ipmt = 1-(4-iodophenyl)-5-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole), which was obtained by the reaction of 1-(4-iodophenyl)-5-methyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acid (Hipmtc) with Zn2+ under solvothermal condition. And the crystal structures of 1–5 were determined via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes were characterized by FT-IR, elemental analyses, and solid-state fluorescent emission spectroscopy. Then, the possible mechanism of in situ solvothermal decarboxylation was discussed.

Graphical abstractIn this paper, there are five complexes {Cd[mptc]Cl·2H2O}n (1), Zn[mptc]2Br (2), {[Zn(mptc)3]2[Zn(H2O)6]·4H2O} (3), Zn[mpt]2Cl2 (4), and Zn[ipmt]2Br2 (5) were prepared using 1,2,3-triazole derivatives and Cd2+, Zn2+ respectively in different conditions. We found an interesting phenomenon of in situ decarboxylation in complexes 4 and 5. The X-ray crystallographic analyses demonstrate the structure of complex 1–5. The complexes were characterized by FT-IR, elemental analyses and solid-state fluorescent emission spectroscopy.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide