Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Two Metal Complexes Incorporating Malonate and Organodiamine Ligands

In the present work we report the synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of two new malonato complexes incorporating organodiamine ligands: [Ni(phen)(mal)(H₂O)₂]·3H₂O (H₂mal = malonic acid, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) and [Zn(bpy)(H₂O)]₂[Zn(bpy)(mal)(H₂O)₂]₂(NO₃)₄·4H₂O (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine). Investigation on novel organic-inorganic hybrid framework assemblies represents one of the most active areas of material science and chemical research. Major advances have been made in these materials due to their interesting properties and potential in various applications, e. g., electrical conductivity, magnetism, host-guest chemistry, ion exchange, catalysis, nonlinear optics, etc. Moreover, discovery and design of such new materials with specific networks remain of a particularly important and active subject in the field of supramolecuar chemistry and crystal engineering. A variety of complexes with interesting compositions and topologies have been prepared through taking certain factors into account, such as the coordination nature of the metal ion and the shape, functionality, flexibility, and symmetry of organic ligand. Recently, some dicarboxylate ligands, such as oxalate, malonate, and terephthalate, have been widely used in the construction of these interesting structures