A zinc(II) coordination polymer, [Zn4( o -bda)4( p -pbim)4] n,with strong blue fluorescence

A zinc(II) coordination polymer, Zn₄(o-bda)₄(p-pbim)₄] _n (1) (p-pbim = 4-pyridylbenzimidazole, o-bda^2? = o-phenylenediacetic acid dianion), has been synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG, photoluminescence and X-ray single crystal diffraction. Complex 1 crystallizes in a monoclinic system and space group P2₁ /n, with a = 14.231(3) Å, b = 16.257(4) Å, c = 16.794(4) Å, β = 100.262(1)°, and Z = 8; R ₁ for 6475 observed reflections I > 2σ(I)] was 0.0420. Complex 1 shows a bi-chain structure fabricated by the tetranuclear zinc unit. Two zinc(II) ions are five coordinate with distorted trigonal-bipyramid geometry; the other two zinc(II) ions are four coordinate with distorted tetrahedral geometry. Complex 1 builds the 1-D bi-chain structure with two different subrings A and B, which are 32-member and 14-member rings, respectively. There exists a 2-D supramolecular network linked by hydrogen-bonding interactions (2.695 and 2.807 Å). A 3-D supramolecular network is further constructed by non-covalent interactions between the 1-D bi-chain structure. The TG/DTG shows that the chain skeleton is thermally stable to 356°C. Blue fluorescent emission of the complex was determined at 404 nm in the solid state with short decay lifetime of 1.67 ns.