Heteroleptic silver(I) and zinc(II) bis(phenanthroline) complexes

Using sterically hindered 2,9-diarylphenanthrolines (I) as well as unsubstituted or 4,7-disubstituted phenanthrolines (II) the first preparation of open chain heteroleptic bis(phenanthroline) complexes [M(I)(II)]n+ with M = Ag+ or Zn2+ has been realised. Their structure was confirmed by electrospray MS, NMR and in one case X-ray data. With two sets of phenanthroline ligands, three stereoisomers of [M(I)(II)]+ were detected in the silver(I) and for comparative reasons in the corresponding copper(I) complexes. On the basis of NMR experiments these were assigned as in-in, in-out and out-out isomers.