Tracking the Transformation Process of a Pair of Zn(II) Coordination Clusters: Crystallography and Mass Spectrometry

Two zinc clusters Zn₄(H₃L)₄(NO₃)₄?5H₂O ( Zn₄ , H₄L=(1,2‐bis(1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl)ethane‐1,2‐diol) and [Zn₅(H₂L′)₆](NO₃)₄]?8H₂O?2CH₃OH ( Zn₅ , H₃L′=(1,2‐bis(benzo[d] imidazol‐2‐yl)‐ethenol) have been obtained by the reaction of Zn(NO₃)₂?6H₂O with H₄L at 80 °C or 140 °C under solvothermal condition. Powder X‐ray Diffraction (PXRD) of precipitate and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI‐MS) of reaction solution revealed the existence of transformation behavior from Zn₄ to Zn₅ by increasing the temperature from 80 °C to 140 °C, or directly heating Zn₄ at 140 °C via solvothermal reaction. Here we proposed a possible mechanism involves split process of Zn₄ and reassembly to form Zn_{5 .} ESI‐MS for single crystals revealed [Zn₄(H₃L)₄?3H]⁺ splits to [Zn(H₃L)]⁺ via [Zn₂(H₃L)₂?H]⁺. Time dependent ESI‐MS of reaction solution revealed the [Zn(H₂L′)]⁺→[Zn₂(H₂L′)₂?H]⁺→[Zn₅(H₂L′)₆?H]³⁺ stepwise assembly. It also has been captured the in situ reaction mainly occurs in the step of [Zn(H₃L)]⁺ to [Zn(H₂L′)]⁺.