The reaction of ZnI2 and pyrimidine in acetonitrile results in the formation of the 1:2 compound ZnI2(pyrimidine)2 (1), which consists of discrete tetrahedral building blocks. Slow heating of 1 at 1 degrees C/min leads to its transformation into the ligand-deficient intermediate 1:1 compound ZnI2(pyrimidine) (3), which upon further heating decomposes into the most ligand-deficient 2:1 compound (ZnI2)2(pyrimidine) (4). In contrast, the 2:3 compound (ZnI2)2(pyrimidine)3 (2) is formed as an intermediate by decomposing 1 using a faster heating rate of 8 degrees C/min. Compound 2 consists of oligomeric units in which each ZnI2 unit is coordinated by two iodine atoms and one bridging and one terminal pyrimidine ligand. The crystal structure of compound 3 is built up of ZnI2 units, which are connected by the ligands into chains. For the thermal transformation of 1 into 3 via 2 as the intermediate, a smooth reaction pathway is found in the crystal structure, for which only small translational and rotational changes are needed. The metastable solvated compound (ZnI2)(pyrimidine)(acetonitrile)0.25 (5) consisting of (ZnI2)4(pyrimidine)4 rings is obtained by quenching the reaction of ZnI2 and pyrimidine in acetonitrile using an antisolvent. On heating, 5 decomposes into a new polymorphic 1:1 compound 6, which consists of (ZnI2)(pyrimidine) chains. On further heating, 6 transforms into a third polymorphic 1:1 compound 7, which consists of (ZnI2)3(pyrimidine)3 rings, and finally into the 1:1 compound 3. Solvent-mediated conversion experiments reveal that compounds 1-4 are thermodynamically stable, whereas compounds 5-7 are metastable. Time-dependent crystallization experiments unambiguously show that compound 7 is formed by kinetic control and transforms within minutes into compound 6, which finally transforms into 3. Compound 3 represents the thermodynamically most stable 1:1 modification, whereas compounds 6 and 7 are metastable. The different compounds obtained by thermal decomposition and by crystallization from solution represent a snapshot of the species in solution and thus provide insight into the formation of coordination compounds.

The five zinc(II) halide pyrazine coordination compounds poly-bis(mu2-pyrazine)-dichloro-zinc(II) (I), poly-(mu2-pyrazine-N,N')-dichloro-zinc(II) (II), poly-bis(mu2-pyrazine-N,N')-dibromo-zinc(II) (III), catena-(mu2-pyrazine-N,N')-dibromo-zinc(II) (IV), and catena-(mu-pyrazine)-diiodo-zinc(II) (V) were prepared by the reaction of ZnX2 (X = Cl, Br, I) with pyrazine in acetonitrile. In the crystal structure of compound I, the zinc atoms are coordinated by two chlorine atoms and two pyrazine ligands within distorted tetrahedra. The zinc atoms are linked by the N-donor ligands into layers. The crystal structure of compound III is very similar to that of compound I. The structure of compound III was originally reported in space group Ccca with similar a and b axes, but it was proved that the correct space group is I4/mmm. Ligand-poor compound V is isotypic to compound IV, in which ZnX2 units (X = Br, I) are connected by the pyrazine ligands into chains. It was originally reported in the noncentrosymmetric space group P2(1), but we found that the correct space group is P2(1)/m. If ligand-rich 1:2 compounds I and III are heated in a thermobalance, different mass steps are observed. We have proven that in the first step, ligand-poor compounds II and IV are formed in quantitative yields. On further heating, a second mass step occurs that leads to the formation of two new compounds of composition (ZnCl2)2(pyrazine) (VI) and (ZnBr2)2(pyrazine) (VII). However, the mass step is not well-resolved. and the new compounds are not phase-pure after the thermal event. If ligand-poor 1:1 compound V is investigated by thermogravimetry, a not-well-resolved single mass step is observed in which new ligand-poor 2:1 compound (ZnI2)2(pyrazine) (VIII) is formed. On further heating, all 2:1 compounds lose their remaining ligands and transform into the pure zinc(II) halides.

myo-Inositol 1,3,5-orthobenzoate exhibits polymorphic behavior depending upon the solvent and time allowed for crystallization. Long plates (form I, monoclinic P21/n) are produced on crystallization from methanol, while crystallization from ethyl acetate mostly yielded squarish plates (form II, monoclinic P21/c). The latter could also be obtained by achieving rapid nucleation from a supersaturated solution of methanol. Remarkably, the overall conformation of the individual molecules is very similar in both polymorphs, although free rotations were possible for the phenyl ring and for the three O−H groups. O−H···O linked one-dimensional isostructural molecular strings in the two forms weave differently by weak intermolecular interactions to produce the dimorphs. Striking difference is seen in the “zipping” of molecular layers via phenyl···phenyl contacts; thermodynamic crystals of form I utilize a well-recognized “edge-to-face” herringbone pattern, making C−H···π interactions, whereas the kinetic crystals of form II show rather uncommon “edge-to-edge” organization, which makes short Ph−H···H−Ph contacts.

Reaction of zinc(II) thiocyanate with pyrazine, pyrimidine, pyridazine, and pyridine leads to the formation of new zinc(II) thiocyanato coordination compounds. In bis(isothiocyanato‐N)‐bis(μ2‐pyrazine‐N,N) zinc(II) (1) and bis(isothiocyanato‐N)‐bis(μ2‐pyrimidine‐N,N) zinc(II) (2) the zinc atoms are coordinated by four nitrogen atoms of the diazine ligands and two nitrogen atoms of the isothiocyanato anions within slightly distorted octahedra. The zinc atoms are connected by the diazine ligands into layers, which are further linked by weak intermolecular S···S interactions in 1 and by weak intermolecular C–H···S hydrogen bonding in 2. In bis(isothiocyanato‐N)‐bis(pyridazine‐N) (3) discrete complexes are found, in which the zinc atoms are coordinated by two nitrogen atoms of the isothiocyanato ligands and two nitrogen atoms of the pyridazine ligands. The crystal structure of bis(isothiocyanato‐N)‐tetrakis(pyridine‐N) (4) is known and consists of discrete complexes, in which the zinc atoms are octahedrally coordinated by two thiocyanato anions and four pyridine molecules. Investigations using simultaneous differential thermoanalysis and thermogravimetry, X‐ray powder diffraction and IR spectroscopy prove that on heating, the ligand‐rich compounds 1, 2, and 3 decompose without the formation of ligand‐deficient intermediate phases. In contrast, compound 4 looses the pyridine ligands in two different steps, leading to the formation of the literature known ligand‐deficient compound bis(isothiocyanato‐N)‐bis(pyridine‐N) (5) as an intermediate. The crystal structure of compound 5 consists of tetrahedrally coordinated zinc atoms which are surrounded by two isothiocyanato anions and two pyridine ligands. The structures and the thermal reactivity are discussed and compared with this of related transition metal isothiocyanates with pyrazine, pyrimidine, pyridazine, and pyridine.

3,5'-ether-linked pseudooligopentose derivatives were synthesized for the first time from readily available carbohydrate precursors. The 1,2-isopropylidene-protected ether-linked oligopentoses are potentially important as precursors of novel RNA analogues. Intramolecular cycloaddition of the nitrile oxides prepared from these derivatives led to the diastereoselective formation of chiral isoxazolines fused to 10-16-membered oxacycles. The stereochemistry of some of these isoxazolines was established by X-ray diffraction and NOESY analysis.