Synthesis and crystal structure of three-coordinated silver(I) and copper(I) complexes with N2P binding set containing a novel tripodal ligand: 1,3,5-tris(benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)benzene

Assembly of a novel tripodal ligand, 1,3,5-tris(benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)ben zene (tbib), and triphenylphosphine with silver(I) and copper(I) salts gave the corresponding mononuclear complexes, which were characterized by elect rospray mass spectrometry and P-31 NMR spectroscopy. The structure of the s ilver(I) complex, [Ag(tbib)(PPh3)]NO3 . CH3OH . H2O, determined by X-ray cr ystallography, indicates that the silver(I) atom is coordinated by two nitr ogen atoms of one tbib ligand and one phosphorus atom of triphenylphosphine . Another nitrogen atom of the tbib ligand is uncoordinated. The complex pr ovides another example of a structurally characterized silver(I) complex wi th N2P binding set.