Three 2-Aminobenzothiazole-Based Mercury Complexes Tuned by Competitive Coordination Between the Coligands: Synthesis, Structures, and Fluorescent Properties

Three novel HgII complexes, [Hg(abt)Cl2]n (1), [Hg(abt)2 (SCN)Cl] (2), and [Hg2(abt)2(SCN)4] (3), were obtained by reaction of HgCl2 and 2-aminobenzothiazole (abt) in the absence or presence of NH4SCN. As a significant result from the stepwise competitive coordination between SCN− and halide anions, the three complexes exhibit a polymeric one-dimensional (1D) array, discrete mononuclear entity, and centrosymmetric binuclear structure, which are further assembled into three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular networks by hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions. Additionally, the three complexes display similar thermal stability and luminescent emissions, which essentially depend on the properties of abt core ligand.