Novel one‐ and two‐dimensional ZnII coordination polymers based on a versatile 3,6‐bis(pyridin‐4‐yl)phenanthrene‐9,10‐dione ligand

Two new Zn^II coordination polymers, namely, catena‐polydibromidozinc(II)]‐μ‐3,6‐bis(pyridin‐4‐yl)phenanthrene‐9,10‐dione‐κ²N:N′]], ZnBr₂(C₂₄H₁₄N₂O₂)]_n, (1), and polybromidoμ₃‐10‐hydroxy‐3,6‐bis(pyridin‐4‐yl)phenanthren‐9‐olato‐κ³N:N′:O⁹]zinc(II)] hemihydrate], {ZnBr(C₂₄H₁₅N₂O₂)]·0.5H₂O}_n, (2), have been synthesized through hydrothermal reaction of ZnBr₂ and a 60° angular phenanthrenedione‐based linker, i.e. 3,6‐bis(pyridin‐4‐yl)phenanthrene‐9,10‐dione, in different solvent systems. Single‐crystal analysis reveals that polymer (1) features one‐dimensional zigzag chains connected by weak C—H...π and π–π interactions to form a two‐dimensional network. The two‐dimensional networks are further stacked in an ABAB fashion along the a axis through C—H...O hydrogen bonds. Layers A and B comprise left‐ and right‐handed helical chains, respectively. Coordination polymer (2) displays a wave‐like two‐dimensional layered structure with helical chains. In this compound, there are two opposite helical –Zn–HL– chains HL is 10‐hydroxy‐3,6‐bis(pyridin‐4‐yl)phenanthren‐9‐olate] in adjacent layers. The layers are packed in an ABAB sequence and are further connected through O—H...Br and O—H...O hydrogen‐bond interactions to form a three‐dimensional framework. In (1) and (2), the mutidentate L and HL ligands exhibits different coordination modes.