Structural and solution studies of diiodine charge-transfer complexes of thioether crowns

The charge-transfer complexes 29aneS 3 ·4I 2 (9aneS 3 = 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane), 12aneS 4 ·I 2 (12aneS 4 = 1,4,7,10-tetrathiacyclododecane), 14aneS 4 ·I 2 , 14aneS 4 ·2I 2 (14aneS 4 = 1,4,8,11-tetrathiacyclotetradecane), 16aneS 4 ·I 2 and 16aneS 4 ·4I 2 (16aneS 4 = 1,5,9,13-tetrathiacyclohexadecane) have been prepared by slow evaporation of solutions containing I 2 and the appropriate thioether macrocycle in CH 2 Cl 2 . The structure of 29aneS 3 ·4I 2 shows two independent macrocycles in the asymmetric unit which are linked by a diiodine bridge. Asymmetric units are linked by I · · · I and S · · · I interactions to form an extended array of linked macrocycles. The single-crystal structure of 12aneS 4 ·I 2 features an infinite chain structure formed by alternating 12aneS 4 and I 2 molecules. The structure contains both symmetric and asymmetric diiodine bridges. Although the 1∶1 adduct 14aneS 4 ·I 2 can also be described as a one-dimensional infinite chain structure with asymmetric diiodine bridging, the structure is better visualised as alternating layers of macrocycle and iodine spanned by short contacts of 3.335(4) Å. The adduct 14aneS 4 ·2I 2 shows two independent macrocycles each co-ordinated to two I 2 molecules. The charge-transfer network consists of chains of molecules with alternating orientations. The single-crystal structure of a third 1∶1 adduct 16aneS 4 ·I 2 contains only symmetrical diiodine bridges between neighbouring macrocycles leading to an infinite chain structure. The compound 16aneS 4 ·4I 2 is the first example of a tetradentate macrocycle which incorporates I 2 bound to all four S atoms. The single-crystal structure shows four terminal I 2 molecules co-ordinated to the four S donors of the macrocycle. Molecules are linked into interwoven sheets by I · · · I interactions of 3.639(2) Å. The formation enthalpies (ΔH) and constants (K) of 1∶1 adducts obtained by treating various thioether macrocycles with I 2 in CH 2 Cl 2 have been determined by electronic spectroscopy. The Fourier-transform Raman spectra for all the charge-transfer adducts have been recorded in CH 2 Cl 2 solutions at different concentrations. The Raman frequencies of the ν(I–I) vibrations show good correlation with the measured formation enthalpies ΔH.