Poly[(μ4‐2,5‐dimethoxybenzene‐1,4‐dicarboxylato)manganese(II)] and its zinc(II) analogue: three‐dimensional coordination polymers containing unusually coordinated metal centres

The title compounds, [Mn(C₁₀H₈O₆)]_n and [Zn(C₁₀H₈O₆)]_n, are isomorphous coordination polymers prepared from 2,5‐dimethoxyterephthalic acid (H₂dmt) and the respective metal(II) salts. Both complexes form three‐dimensional metal–organic frameworks with each M^II centre bridged by four 2,5‐dimethoxyterephthalate (dmt²⁻) anions, resulting in the same type of network topology. The asymmetric unit consists of one M^II cation on a twofold axis and one half of a dmt²⁻ anion (located on a centre of inversion). In the crystal structure, the M^II centres are coordinated in a rather unusual way, as there is a distorted tetrahedral inner coordination sphere formed by four carboxylate O atoms of four different dmt²⁻ anions, and an additional outer coordination sphere formed by two methoxy and two carboxylate O atoms, with each of the O atoms belonging to one of the four different dmt²⁻ anions forming the inner coordination sphere. Consideration of both coordination spheres results in a super‐dodecahedral coordination geometry for the M^II centres. Besides the numerous M^II...O interactions, both structures are further stabilized by weak C—H...O contacts.