Supramolecular assemblies tailored by dipyridyl-1,2-4-thiadiazoles: influence of the building blocks in the predictability of the final network

Coordinatively unsaturated dithiophosphato complex [Cd((MeO)2PS2)2] (1) was reacted with the bifunctional ligands 3,5-di-(4-pyridyl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (L1) and 3,5-di-(3-pyridyl)-1,2,4-thiadiazole (L2) to give the helicoidal coordination polymer (1·L1)∞ and the paddle-wheel dimer (1·L2)2, both characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A comparison of the structures with the different supramolecular constructs obtained by reacting L1 and L2 with differently P-substituted dithiophosphoric NiII complexes allowed to evaluate the role of the metal ion for the predictable assembly of this class of coordination polymers.