A novel O-Zn bridging polymer complex of 2,6-bis[bis(carboxylatomethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenolate.

A new one-dimensional coordination polymer, catena-poly[[acetatohexaaqua{mu4-2,6-bis[bis(carboxylatomethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenolato}trizinc(II)] octahydrate], [Zn3(C17H17N2O9)(C2H3O2)(H2O)6] x 8 H2O, is a trinuclear complex consisting of three zinc centers joined by a phenolate bridge and Zn(H2O)4 units. In each complex polymer unit, the three Zn atoms have different coordination modes. Of the two phenolate-bridged Zn ions, one adopts a distorted octahedral coordination composed of two carboxylate ligands, one tertiary N atom, two water molecules and the bridging phenolate ligand, while the other adopts a pyramidal geometry composed of two carboxylate ligands, one tertiary N atom from another coordination arm, one acetate anion as the counter-anion and the bridging phenolate ligand. The third type of Zn centre is represented by two independent Zn atoms lying on inversion centres. They both have an octahedral coordination consisting of four O atoms from four water molecules and two acetate carbonyl O atoms from the ligand. The latter Zn atoms join the above-mentioned binuclear complex units through O atoms of the carboxylate groups into an infinite chain. Neighboring aromatic rings are distributed above and below the chain in an alternating manner. Between the coordination chains, the Zn...Zn separations are 5.750 (4) and 6.806 (4) A. The whole structure is stabilized by hydrogen bonds formed mainly by solvent water molecules.