Synthesis, crystal structure and photocatalytic properties of two bismuth(III) complexes with different N-containing heterocycles

Two novel bismuth(III) complexes of the formulae (2-HMI) 4 [Bi 2 Cl 10 ] ( 1 ) and {(Hphen)[BiCl 4 ]} n ( 2 ) (2-MI = 2-methylimidazole, Hphen = 1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra and thermogravimetry analysis. The X-ray crystallographic investigation reveals that 1 is ionic compound built of 2-methylimidazolium cations and binuclear metalate anions, [Bi 2 Cl 10 ] 4– . 2 is a coordination polymer, and its asymmetric structural units are connected by one Bi 3+ ion, four Cl – ions and one disordered and protonized Hphen + cation. In addition, the photocatalytic activities of 1 and 2 towards the degradations of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) were explored, and the mechanism of the photocatalytic degradation was also discussed. The results show that 1 and 2 are good candidates for photocatalytic degradation of RhB and 2 is also a good candidate for photocatalytic degradation of MB.