Crystal structures of two coordination isomers of copper(II) 4-sulfo-benzoic acid hexa-hydrate and two mixed silver/potassium 4-sulfo-benzoic acid salts.

A reaction of copper(II) carbonate and potassium 4-sulfo-benzoic acid in water acidified with hydro-chloric acid yielded two crystalline products. Tetra-aqua-bis-(4-carb-oxy-benzene-sulfonato)-copper(II) dihydrate, [Cu(OSCHCOH)(HO)]·2HO, (I), crystallizes in the triclinic space group with the Cu ions located on centers of inversion. Each copper ion is coordinated to four water mol-ecules in a square plane with two sulfonate O atoms in the apical positions of a Jahn-Teller-distorted octa-hedron. The carboxyl-ate group is protonated and not involved in coordination to the metal ions. The complexes pack so as to create a layered structure with alternating inorganic and organic domains. The packing is reinforced by several O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving coordinated and non-coordinated water mol-ecules, the carb-oxy-lic acid group and the sulfonate group. Hexa-aqua-copper(II) 4-carb-oxy-benzene-sulfonate, [Cu(HO)](OSCHCOH), (II), also crystallizes in the triclinic space group with Jahn-Teller-distorted octa-hedral copper(II) aqua complexes on the centers of inversion. As in (I), the carboxyl-ate group on the anion is protonated and the structure consists of alternating layers of inorganic cations and organic anions linked by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. A reaction of silver nitrate and potassium 4-sulfo-benzoic acid in water also resulted in two distinct products that have been structurally characterized. An anhydrous silver potassium 4-carb-oxy-benzene-sulfonate salt, [AgK](OSCHCOH), (III), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group 2/. There are two independent metal sites, one fully occupied by silver ions and the other showing a 62% K/38% Ag (fixed) ratio, refined in two slightly different positions. The coordination environments of the metal ions are composed primarily of sulfonate O atoms, with some participation by the non-protonated carboxyl-ate O atoms in the disordered site. As in the copper compounds, the cations and anions cleanly segregate into alternating layers. A hydrated mixed silver potassium 4-carb-oxy-benzene-sulfonate salt dihydrate, [AgK](OSCHCOH)·2HO, (IV), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group 2/ with the Ag and K ions sharing one unique metal site coordinated by two water mol-ecules and six sulfonate O atoms. The packing in (IV) follows the dominant motif of alternating inorganic and organic layers. The protonated carboxyl-ate groups do not inter-act with the cations directly, but do participate in hydrogen bonds with the coordinated water mol-ecules. (IV) is isostructural with pure potassium 4-sulfo-benzoic acid dihydrate.