Structural characterization and photoelectrochemistry of coordination polymer of Pb(II)-naphthyl-isonicotinohydrazide Schiff base

An organic–inorganic hybrid Pb(II)-based 1D coordination polymer, {[Pb(NSB)NO3.DMF]}n (CP) (H-NSB = isonicotinic acid (2-hydroxy-naphthalen-1-ylmethylene)-hydrazide; DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), is structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction measurement and other spectroscopic data. The structure shows that the ligand, H-NSB serves as a monoanionic tetradentate N2O2 chelating linker of μ3-κN,κO;κO,N,O type, where κO (phenolato-O) brings two Pb(II) centres together and the tridentate NO2 unit chelates (κO,N,O) with one Pb(II) unit followed by its pyridyl-N links (κN) with nearest Pb(II) centre for propagating as a seven coordinated distorted pentagonal bi-pyramidal PbO5N2 core (one O donor comes from DMF and another O from NO3−). Thus, 1D chain is constructed that is thermally stable. The noncovalent interactions (π…π, H-bonding and C-H…π) amongst the 1D chains make supramolecular 3D architecture. The Hirshfeld surface analysis approves the existence of several noncovalent interactions for the formation of 3D network. The reasonable band gap of 3.04 eV for the CP lies in the semiconducting region, which simulates fabrication of photoelectrochemical device with high magnitude of photocurrent (current density: ~2.5 μA cm−2). Mott–Schottky analysis indicates the n-type semiconducting behaviour, and chronoamperometry plot also shows the stability of the material against photo corrosion. Present elucidation would decipher an encouraging pathway for harvesting next-generation energy resources based on a novel Pb(II)-naphthyl-isonicotinohydrazide Schiff base-based CP.