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With the idea of supramolecular hosts encircling monoanions, a series of urea-containing trinuclear cationic copper complexes were designed, prepared and structurally analyzed. Copper(I) acetylides [Cu3(μ-dppm)3(μ3-η1-CCC6H4-4-NHC(O)NHC6H4-4-R)2]+ (dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane; R = NO2 (1), CF3 (2), Cl (3), H (4), tBu (5), and OCH3 (6)) were prepared with F−, BF4−, or NO3− present as the anion. Eight 1-D anion coordination polymers (ACPs), 1·F, 2·F, 3·BF4, 4·F, 5·F, 5·BF4, 5·NO3 and 6·0.5F·0.5BF4, were clearly determined by X-ray diffraction. Diversity in the polymeric architecture is generated by both the choice of R-group used and anion present. 2·F, 3·BF4, 4·F, and 5·F show linear 1-D structures; 5·BF4 and 5·NO3 feature single-stranded helical structures; 1·F and 6·0.5F·0.5BF4 exhibit meso-helical structures. Solid state UV-vis absorption and luminescence properties are also discussed.

Trinuclear copper(I) acetylide complexes 1·BF4–4·BF4, 1·PF6, 1·ClO4 and 4·F have been synthesized and characterized. Five kinds of discrete or polymeric structures could be found in their crystal structures. Among them, complexes 1·BF4, 1·PF6, and 1·ClO4 form zigzag one-dimensional (1D) anion coordination polymers (ACPs) using anions as nodes and cations 1 as ligands. For complex 2·BF4, hydrogen bonds between adjacent amide groups afford the zigzag 1D polymeric chains, which are supported by the interaction between dppms and anions. A 1D infinite meso-helical hydrogen bonding polymeric chain with a counter anion bound in each cation can be observed in complex 3·BF4. Complex 4·BF4 is unable to form polymeric chains, while complex 4·F that exhibits similar structure with 4·BF4 could construct infinite 1D polymer via hydrogen bonds between amide groups. The photophysical properties of copper(I) acetylide complexes have been studied. They show luminescence both in the solid state and DMSO solution at 298 K. The anion binding abilities of complexes 1·BF4–4·BF4 in DMSO have also been studied by using 1H NMR and UV-vis titration experiments. Their dramatic color change towards F− in DMSO enables naked eye detection of F−.

Correction for ‘Assembly of BF4−, PF6−, ClO4− and F− with trinuclear copper(i) acetylide complexes bearing amide groups: structural diversity, photophysics and anion binding properties’ by Hua-Yun Shi et al., RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 89669–89681.