10.1021/acs.cgd.5b00282
The research aims to understand how the crystal structure of [HgBr2(L3,4?diCl)] is influenced by its single-component precursors [HgBr2(L3?Cl)] and [HgBr2(L4?Cl)], where L represents a N-(chlorinatedphenyl)-2-pyrazinecarboxamide ligand. The researchers found that the crystal packing of [HgBr2(L3,4?diCl)] retains the Cl···N and Cl···Br halogen bonding synthons reminiscent of the single components, demonstrating structural modularity based on halogen bonding interactions. This is the first report on structural modularity in coordination compounds and could be instrumental in inorganic crystal engineering, particularly in polymorphism and crystal structure prediction. The chemicals used in the process include 3-chloroaniline, 4-chloroaniline, 3,4-dichloroaniline, pyrazinecarboxylic acid, and HgBr2.