Structural diversity of transition-metal coordination polymers derived from isophthalic acid and bent bis(imidazole) ligands

Four coordination polymers associated with bent bis(imidazole) 1,3-bis(imidazol-l-yl-methyl)benzene (mbix) and isophthalic acid (H₂ip) or 5-methylisophthalic acid (H₂mip) ligands, formulated as {[Cd(mbix)(mip)]·H₂O} _n (1), {[Co(mbix)(mip)]·0.4H₂O} _n (2) [Ni(mbix)(mip)H₂O] _n (3) and [Ni(mbix)(ip)] _n (4), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. Complexes 1 and 2 are isomorphous and exhibit a 1D loop-like chain. Complex 3 features a 2D (4,4) layer, which further extends into an unusual 2D (3,5)-connected 3,5L2 double-layered supramolecular network via classical O–H···O hydrogen bonding interactions. Complex 4 is a 3D network, which shows a rare binodal (3,5)-connected 3,5T1 framework. Moreover, the luminescence and catalytic properties of the complexes for the degradation of methyl orange by sodium persulfate in a Fenton-like process are reported.