Unexpected Formation of an Alcoholate Bridge in the Coordination Polymer of Adduct Zn(OOCPh)2[O(H)Me]4 and Bidentate γ,γ'-Bipyridyl

The recrystallization of Zn(OOCPh)2[O(H)Me]4 (1) (chloroform diffusion to a methanolic solution, dissolution of the powder in boiling MeCN, and exposure of the methanolic solution at room temperature) is found to be accompanied with the formation of {Zn(µ-OOCPh)3Zn(µ-OOCPh)}n polymer single crystals. The diffusion of an MeOH solution of γ,γ'-bipyridyl to a methanolic solution of 1 (in the ratio 1 : 1) gives rise to the formation of {Zn(µ-dipy)(η2-OOCPh)(OOCPh)}n polymer, and the same reaction in the ratio 2 : 1 under strong dilution gives rise to methanol deprotonation to yield {Zn[(µ-OMe)(µ-OOCPh)Zn(OOCPh)]2(µ-dipy)2}n. The product compounds are characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray crystallography, and IR spectroscopy.