Self-assembly of two 2D cobalt(II) coordination polymers constructed from 5-tert-butyl isophthalic acid and flexible bis(benzimidazole)-based ligands

Two cobalt(II) coordination polymers, Co(L1)(tbi)(H₂O)] _n (1) and Co(L2)(tbi)] _n (2) (L1 = 1,4-bis(benzimidazole)butane, L2 = 1,4-bis(2-methylbenzimidazole)butane, H₂tbi = 5-tert-butyl isophthalic acid) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Both complexes exhibit similar 2D (4,4) layer structures, constructed from tbi^2? and bis(benzimidazole)-based bridging ligands. The cobalt centers display different coordination environments, with an octahedral geometry in 1 and a distorted square-pyramidal configuration in 2. The thermal stabilities, fluorescence and catalytic properties of both complexes have been investigated.