A three‐dimensional ZnII coordination polymer constructed from 1,1′‐biphenyl‐2,2′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylate and 1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene ligands exhibiting photoluminescence

Ligands based on polycarboxylic acids are excellent building blocks for the construction of coordination polymers; they may bind to a variety of metal ions and form clusters, as well as extended chain or network structures. Among these building blocks, biphenyltetracarboxylic acids (H₄bpta) with C ₂ symmetry have recently attracted attention because of their variable bridging and multidentate chelating modes. The new luminescent three‐dimensional coordination polymer poly(μ₅‐1,1′‐biphenyl‐2,2′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylato)bisμ₂‐1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene]dizinc(II)], Zn₂(C₁₆H₆O₈)(C₁₂H₁₀N₄)]_n , was synthesized solvothermally and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. The crystal structure contains two crystallographically independent Zn^II cations. Both metal cations are located on twofold axes and display distorted tetrahedral coordination geometries. Neighbouring Zn^II centres are bridged by carboxylate groups in the syn –anti mode to form one‐dimensional chains. Adjacent chains are linked through 1,1′‐biphenyl‐2,2′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylate and 1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene ligands to form a three‐dimensional network. In the solid state, the compound exhibits blue photoluminescence and represents a promising candidate for a thermally stable and solvent‐resistant blue fluorescent material.