Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>Reactions of 1,13-bis(8-chinolyl)-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxatridecane (“Cryptand 5”) with HgX<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> (X = I, SCN) yield crystals of [(cryptand 5)(HgI<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>)<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>] (1) and [(cryptand 5 )<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>{Hg(SCN)<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>}<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>] (2), resp. In both complexes two molecules of HgX<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> are bound to one ligand molecule. 1 has symmetry C<jats:sub>i</jats:sub> with the oxygen atom O(3 ) of the ether chain on a center of symmetry of the unit cell, each Hg atom is bound to the two I atoms, the N atom of the chinolyl residue, and one oxygen atom, O(1) and O(l)<jats:sup>i</jats:sup>, resp. of the ligand; neighbouring complex units are connected via iodine bridges thus forming chains. In 2 also two formula units of HgX<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> are bound to one ligand molecule, but contrary to 1 the complex is not centrosymmetric. The Hg atoms of the two Hg(SCN)<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> groups are co-ordinated differently: both are bound via sulphur atoms to two SCN-groups, one being a terminal SCN group, the other acting as a bridge to the Hg atom of a neighbouring complex unit. The first Hg atom is connected to a chinolyl N atom and too oxygen atoms, the second to a chinolyl N atom and three oxygen atoms. There are two independent complex units per asymmetric unit which are related by a non-crystallographic twofold axis, and which are connected via two SCN bridges. These “double molecules” are also interconnected by thiocyanate bridges, thus forming a chain structure</jats:p>