Synthesis, crystal Structure, theoretical calculation and luminescence properties of Cu(Ⅱ), Co(Ⅱ), Ni(Ⅱ) and Zn(Ⅱ) quinolinyl benzimidazole complexes with multiple coordination number induced by proton

The innovative ligand H2L, featuring a benzimidazole structure substituted with 8-hydroxyquinoline and equipped with N,O donor sites, underwent successful synthesis and meticulous characterization. Notably, this ligand was exclusively synthesized through catalysis under protonated conditions, accompanied by an in-depth exploration of the catalytic mechanism. Employing single-crystal X-ray diffraction, we acquired and authenticated four distinct asymmetric double-decker sandwich mononuclear transition metal complexes: [Cu(HL)2]·2H2O, [Co(HL)2]·CH3OH, [Ni(HL)2] and [Zn(HL)2]·CH2Cl2. Among these, complex 1 revealed an intriguing five-coordinate Cu(II) center adopting a distorted square pyramidal geometry, whereas the central metal ions in complexes 2–4 exhibited a six-coordinate configuration, characterized by a distorted octahedral geometry. Noteworthy is the observation that the dihedral angles within the crystal structures of complexes 2–4 approached approximately 90° to a significant extent. To delve deeper into the electronic properties and transitions, meticulous DFT and TD-DFT calculations were performed on both the ligand H2L and complexes 1–4. Furthermore, a comprehensive investigation into the luminescence properties of both H2L and its complexes was conducted, revealing a pronounced luminescence quenching effect in the complexes compared to the ligand. Through thorough analysis utilizing Hirshfeld surface examination and IRI analysis, various weak intermolecular interactions within the system were elucidated.