Helices versus zigzag chains: one-dimensional coordination polymers of Ag(I) and Bis(4-pyridyl)amine.

Five one-dimensional coordination polymers were prepared by the reaction of a bent bridging ligand, bis(4-pyridyl)amine (bpa), with an extensive series of AgX salts (X = CF3SO3, PF6, ClO4, NO3). The 1D polymer networks formed with AgCF3SO3 (1), AgPF6 (2.MeCN), and AgClO4 (3.2MeCN) all incorporated MeCN and were found to adopt a zigzag arrangement. The networks formed with AgClO4 (4) and AgNO3 (5) did not contain any solvent and adopted a single-stranded helical arrangement. Two-dimensional H-bonding networks were formed for 1 and 3.2MeCN, with network topologies 4.8(2) and (4, 4), respectively, whereas three-dimensional H-bonded networks of helices were formed for 4, showing an (8, 3)-a network topology, and 5, showing the topology of the alpha-polonium net. The three-dimensional networks both exhibited 4-fold interpenetration. The NO3- anion in 5 appeared to be acting as a template for the 3D structure.