Cobalt(II) and cobalt(III) coordination polymers constructed from flexible bis-imidazole and polycarboxyl co-ligands: syntheses,crystal structures and properties

Two metal coordination polymers, namely {Co(1,3-BIP)(OBA)]·0.5H₂O}_n (SNUT-1) and Co₂(µ-η¹:η¹-O₂)(1,3-BIP)₂(PMA)]_n (SNUT-2), where 1,3-BIP?=?1,3-bis(imidazol)propane, H₂OBA?=?4,4′-oxybis(benzoate) and H₄PMA?=?benzene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid, were prepared by hydrothermal methods. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that the structure of SNUT-1 consists of a 3D?→?3D twofold interpenetrating network that can be described as a 4-connected uninodal net with (6⁵·8) topology. The structure of SNUT-2 consists of a 3D framework which can be described as a (4,5)-connected binodal net with (4²·6³·8⁴·10) (3³·4²·5) topology. The gas adsorption properties of SNUT-1 and photocatalytic activity of SNUT-2 for the degradation of Rhodamine B have been explored.