Two cobalt(II) supramolecular isomers based on N,N'-bis(pyridin-3-yl)oxalamide induced by the molecular orientation of lattice DMF molecules.

Supramolecular isomerism for coordination networks refers to the existence of different architectures having the same building blocks and identical stoichiometries. For a given building block, different arrangements can lead to the formation of a series of supramolecular isomers. Two one-dimensional Co(II) coordination polymers based on N,N'-bis(pyridin-3-yl)oxalamide (BPO), both catena-poly[[[dichloridocobalt(II)]-bis[μ-N,N'-bis(pyridin-3-yl)oxalamide-κ(2)N:N']] dimethylformamide disolvate], {[CoCl2(C12H10N4O2)2]·2C3H7NO}n, have been assembled by the solvothermal method. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that the two compounds are supramolecular isomers, the isomerism being induced by the orientation of the dimethylformamide (DMF) molecules in the crystal lattice.