Bis(μ‐5‐carboxybenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylato‐κ2O1:O3)bis[(2,2′‐bi‐1H‐imidazole‐κ2N3,N3′)zinc]

The title compound, Zn₂(C₉H₄O₆)₂(C₆H₆N₄)₂], consists of two Zn^II ions, two 5‐carboxybenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylate (Hbtc^2?) dianions and two 2,2′‐bi‐1H‐imidazole (bimz) molecules. The Zn^II centre is coordinated by two carboxylate O atoms from two Hbtc^2? ligands and by two imidazole N atoms of a bimz ligand, in a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry. Two neighbouring Zn^II ions are bridged by a pair of Hbtc^2? ligands, forming a discrete binuclear Zn₂(Hbtc)₂(bimz)₂] structure lying across an inversion centre. Hydrogen bonds between carboxyl H atoms and carboxylate O atoms and between imidazole H atoms and carboxylate O atoms link the binuclear units. These binuclear units are further extended into a three‐dimensional supramolecular structure through extensive O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the three‐dimensional nature of the crystal packing is reinforced by the π–π stacking. The title compound exhibits photoluminescence in the solid state, with an emission maximum at 415 nm.