Heteroleptic silver(I) and zinc(II) bis(phenanthroline) complexes

Using sterically hindered 2,9-diarylphenanthrolines (I) as well as unsubsti tuted or 4,7-disubstituted phenanthrolines (II) the first preparation of op en chain heteroleptic bis(phenanthroline) complexes [M(I)(II)](n+) with M=A g+ or Zn2+ has been realised. Their structure was confirmed by electrospray MS, NMR and in one case X-ray data. With two sets of phenanthroline ligand s, three stereoisomers of [M(I)(II)](+) were detected in the silver(I) and for comparative reasons in the corresponding copper(I) complexes. On the ba sis of NMR experiments these were assigned as in-in, in-out and out-out iso mers.