Predictable and unpredictable reactions between 4,4′-dipyridyldisulfide and phosphonodithioato/dithiophosphato NiII complexes: novel coordination polymers and the unique example of 4,4′-dipyridyltrisulfide

The reactions between dpds and the phosphonodithioato and dithiophosphato NiII complexes [Ni(MeOpdt)2] (1), [Ni(EtOpdt)2] (2), and [Ni((EtO)2PS2)2] (3) yielded the novel coordination polymers (1·dpds)∞, (2·dpts)∞, and (3·dps)∞, featuring three different spacers ensuing from in situ chemical rearrangement of the starting dpds reagent (dpds, 4,4′-dipyridyldisulfide; dps, 4,4′-dipyridylmonosulfide; dpts, 4,4′-dipyridyltrisulfide).