Synthesis, structural characterization and properties of new N-heterocyclic carbene Ag(I) complexes

•N-heterocyclic Ag(I) carbene complexes have been prepared from imidazolium/benzimidazolium salts.•Four of these compounds have been characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography.•In these crystal structures, supramolecular interactions are explored.•One of these compounds exhibits solution emission at room temperature.

The syntheses and properties of new N-heterocyclic carbene complexes [{1-(2,3,5,6-tetra methyl benzyl)-3-benzylbimy}AgCl] (2a), [{1-(benzyl)-3-benzylbimy}2Ag][BF4] (2b), [{1-(benzyl)-3-butylbimy}AgBr]2 (2c), [{1-(benzyl)-3-(4-nitro-benzyl)bimy}AgBr] (2d), [{1-(benzyl)-3-(4-bromo-benzyl)bimy}AgBr] (2e), [{1-(benzyl)-3-(4-nitro-benzyl)bimy}2Ag][BF4] (2f), [{1-(benzyl)-3-(4-bromo-benzyl)bimy}2Ag][BF4] (2g) (bimy = benzimidazol-2-ylidene), and [{1-(10-bromo-9-anthracenylmethyl)-3-butylimy}AgBr] (2h) (imy = imidazol-2-ylidene) have been described. Compounds 2a–2h have been characterized by 1H NMR-, UV–vis- LC/MS-spectral studies and elemental analysis. Compounds 2a–2c and 2h are unambiguously characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Compound 2h shows solution emission at room temperature.