Metal ion clip: fine-tuning aromatic stacking interactions in the multistep formation of carbazole-bridged zinc( ii ) complexes

A carbazole-based triple bridging ligand (LH) consisting of two imidazole moieties at 3,6 positions with a diketone unit at the carbazole nitrogen forms carbazole-bridged zinc(II) complexes with structures of [(L(-))4(Zn(2+))n] (n = 2-6), where the strength of aromatic stacking interactions between the carbazole rings increases with an increase in the number of Zn(2+) ions bridged by the imidazole moieties.