Mononuclear, dinuclear, hexanuclear, and one-dimensional polymeric silver complexes having ligand-supported and unsupported argentophilic interactions stabilized by pincer-like 2,6-bis(5-pyrazolyl)pyridine ligands.

The mononuclear complexes [Ag(H2L1)(Py)2](NO3) x H2O (1, H2L1 = 2,6-bis(5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine) and [Ag(NO3)(L()] (2, L2 = 2,6-bis(5-methyl-1-isopropyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine), dinuclear complex [Ag2(H2L3)2(HL4)2] (3, H2L3 = 2,6-bis(5-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine, HL4 = 6-(5-phenyl-1H-pyrazolyl-3-yl)picolinate), one-dimensional polymer {[Ag2(H2L1)2](NO3)2 x H2O}(n) (4), and hexanuclear clusters [Ag6(HL1)4](X)2 (X = NO3-, 5 ; BF4-, 6 ; ClO4-, 7) stabilized by pincer-like bispyrazolyl ligands have been prepared and characterized using (1)H NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, luminescence spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. In complex , there is a ligand unsupported Ag-Ag bond between the two silver atoms. Complex displays a one-dimensional polymer consisting of an infinite Ag-Ag chain and every two adjacent silver ions are bridged by an H2L1 ligand. Complexes and have the same Ag6 cores in which six silver atoms are held together by four HL1 and five Ag-Ag bonds, while complex was held together by six Ag-Ag bonds. The silver-silver distances in these complexes are found in the range of 2.874(1)-3.333(2) A for ligand supported, and 3.040(1) A for ligand unsupported Ag-Ag bonds, respectively. Complexes 3-7 are strongly luminescent due to either intraligand or metal-ligand charge transfer processes.