Assembly of [(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3]-supported one-dimensional chains with single, double, triple, and quadruple strands

The construction of a new set of [(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3]-based supramolecular compounds with different one-dimensional (1D) arrays from two preformed clusters [PPh4][(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3(CuX)3] (X = Br (1a), NCS (1b)) with 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpe) and 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (bpp) is presented. Reactions of 1a with bpe in different molar ratios afforded ([((eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3) 2(mu-bpe)3.5Br4].MeCN) n (2), ([((eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3)2(mu-bpe)3Br4].Sol)n (3a: Sol = DMSO.3MeCN; 3b: Sol = 2aniline.3MeCN), ([((eta5-C 5Me5)MoS3Cu3)2(mu-bpe)3(bpe)Br4].0.35DMF)n (4), and ([((eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3)2(mu-bpe)2(mu-Br)(mu3-Br)Br2].DMF.MeCN)n (5). On the other hand, treatment of 1a or 1b with bpp produced [(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3(mu-bpp)(mu-Br)Br]n (6) and ([((eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3)2(mu-bpp)3(mu-NCS)2(NCS)](NCS))n (7). Compounds 2-7 have been characterized by elemental analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and X-ray analysis. In 2, each [(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3] core serves as an angular two-connecting node to link other equivalent cores by single and double bpe bridges to form a 1D "Great Wall"-like chain. In 3a and 3b, the [(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3] cores are linked alternatively by single and double bpe bridges to give a 1D zigzag chain. In 4, six cluster cores (two as a two-connecting node and four as a three-connecting node) are connected by four single bpe and two double bpe bridges to form a cyclohexane-shaped repeating unit, which is further fused with other units to generate a 1D double-stranded chain. Compound 5 has a simple 1D zigzag chain consisting of the cluster cores linked by single bpe bridges. In 6, the cluster cores are linked by single bpp bridges to give a 1D helical chain, which further holds two symmetry-related chains through C-H...Br hydrogen-bonding interactions, thereby forming a 1D H-bonded triple-stranded chain. Compound 7 has a rare 1D quadruple chain, in which the [(eta5-C5Me5)MoS3Cu3] cores work as planar four- and five-connecting nodes to interconnect other equivalent cores through single bpp bridges and single and double thiocyanate bridges. In addition, the third-order nonlinear optical properties of 1a, 2, 3a, and 4-7 in aniline were also investigated by using the Z-scan technique with a 4.5 ns pulse laser at 532 nm.