Interwoven 2-D Coordination Network Prepared from the Molecular Host Tris(isonicotinoyl)cyclotriguaiacylene and Silver(I) Cobalt(III) Bis(dicarbollide)

A new 3-fold symmetric molecular host, tris(isonicotinoyl)cyclotriguaiacylene, has been synthesized from cyclotriguaiacylene and
isonicotinoyl chloride hydrochloride in 70% yield. Its crystal structure
shows dimerization of the host molecules into a capsule-like
arrangement. When reacted with Ag[Co(C2B9H11)2], the host forms
a 1-D [ML2]n coordination polymer, which assembles into a 2-D
interwoven network through a similar dimerization of the host
moieties around acetonitrile guests. Thus, the network structure
represents an elegant example whereby the solid state structure
of the building blocks is echoed in the resulting supramolecular
assembly. The 2-D sheets are further stabilized by π···π stacking
interactions between pyridyl donors of alternate 1-D coordination
polymers.