A series of LH[Z–I–Z] halogen(I) complexes, where Z = saccharinato
or phthalimido
anions and LH = pyridinium, pyrazinium, tetrabutyl (TBA)-
or tetramethylammonium (TMA) cations, were prepared, structurally
characterized, and discussed as complexes consisting of a [N–I–N]− anion with a three-center–four-electron (3c-4e)
halogen bond, and a hydrogen-bonding (pyridinium or pyrazinium) or
inert (TBA or TMA) cation. The symmetric [N–I–N]− anion, reminiscent of the triiodide [I–I–I]− anion, is found to be structurally equivalent to its
cationic analogue [N–I–N]+ with N–I
bond lengths of 2.26 Å. In contrast to the homoleptic [N–I–N]+ complexes, asymmetry of the N–I bond lengths (2.21
and 2.28 Å) was observed for those [N–I–N]− complexes which manifested a hydrogen bond to only
one saccharinato moiety, thus being structurally analogous to the
asymmetric heteroleptic [N–I–N]+ complexes.
The results show that the 3c-4e [N–I–N] halogen bond,
being either positively or negatively charged, can be asymmetrized
by an external hydrogen bond ([N–I–N]−) or by using two different ligands (heteroleptic [N–I–N]+).